🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <Bx06FF.Lx0@nic.umass.edu> zgilbert@titan.ucc.umass.edu (Zvi Gilbert) writes:
>...
>First look at the facts: "extra" is syllabified as TWO syllables in English.
>[ek.stra]; there's no doubt that that is the case.

I doubt it.  What's your evidence?

>...
>Quick summary of evidence for the syllable (drawn from Selkirk, 1982):
>
>1) phonotactic evidence: many, many genralizations about the distribution of
>segments in languages are best stated in terms of the syllable;...

"Best stated"?  What kind of evidence is that?

Consider as an alternative Saussure's theory, according to which segments have
a feature explosive versus implosive.  Instead of saying consonants occur
at the beginning of a syllable, one may characterize them as explosive.

>2) phonological evidence: many rules in languages can be stated only with
>reference to the notion of a syllable; e.g., in Polish, all syllable-final
>obstruents are devoiced.  In Thai, there are no laryngeal contrasts in
>syllable-final position.  ...

You mean, implosive obstruents are devoiced and that implosives do not
have laryngeal constrasts?  (See?  No "notion" of a syllable.)

--
Greg Lee <lee@uhunix.uhcc.hawaii.edu>