Cluster reduction
Encyclopedia
In phonology
and historical linguistics
, cluster reduction is the simplification of consonant cluster
s in certain environments or over time.
In some dialects of English such as AAVE
certain historical consonant clusters reduce to single consonants at the ends of words: friend rhymes with Ben, and cold is homonymous with coal. In both cases, a historical cluster of homorganic consonants
loses a plosive
: /ˈfrɛn/, /ˈkoʊl/ However, in colder, where the consonant cluster falls between vowels, the /d/ remains: /ˈkoʊldɚ/. The similar word-final reduction of */mb/ to /m/ and */ŋɡ/ to /ŋ/ is complete in standard English (eg. lamb, long), as it is in many other Germanic languages (eg. Swedish lamm, lång).
Italian
is well known to have undergone cluster reduction, where stop clusters have become geminates
. For example, Victoria has become Vittoria. In other words, articulation but not length
has reduced. A similar occurrence is observed in Portuguese as well, but gemination is absent.
Cluster reduction also takes place in Catalan, and in a similar way as it happens in English. Certain consonant clusters placed at the end of a word are reduced: cent /sen/ instead of /sent/, although they recover the reduced consonant when the cluster falls between vowels: centenar /səntəˈna/. This phenomenon does not exist in Valencian
, though: cent /sent/ and centenar /senteˈnaɾ/.
Phonology
Phonology is, broadly speaking, the subdiscipline of linguistics concerned with the sounds of language. That is, it is the systematic use of sound to encode meaning in any spoken human language, or the field of linguistics studying this use...
and historical linguistics
Historical linguistics
Historical linguistics is the study of language change. It has five main concerns:* to describe and account for observed changes in particular languages...
, cluster reduction is the simplification of consonant cluster
Consonant cluster
In linguistics, a consonant cluster is a group of consonants which have no intervening vowel. In English, for example, the groups and are consonant clusters in the word splits....
s in certain environments or over time.
In some dialects of English such as AAVE
African American Vernacular English
African American Vernacular English —also called African American English; less precisely Black English, Black Vernacular, Black English Vernacular , or Black Vernacular English —is an African American variety of American English...
certain historical consonant clusters reduce to single consonants at the ends of words: friend rhymes with Ben, and cold is homonymous with coal. In both cases, a historical cluster of homorganic consonants
Homorganic consonants
Homorganic consonants is a phonetics term for consonant sounds which are articulated in the same position or place of articulation in the mouth, such as , or...
loses a plosive
Stop consonant
In phonetics, a plosive, also known as an occlusive or an oral stop, is a stop consonant in which the vocal tract is blocked so that all airflow ceases. The occlusion may be done with the tongue , lips , and &...
: /ˈfrɛn/, /ˈkoʊl/ However, in colder, where the consonant cluster falls between vowels, the /d/ remains: /ˈkoʊldɚ/. The similar word-final reduction of */mb/ to /m/ and */ŋɡ/ to /ŋ/ is complete in standard English (eg. lamb, long), as it is in many other Germanic languages (eg. Swedish lamm, lång).
Italian
Italian phonology
This article is about the phonology of the Italian language. It deals with the phonology and phonetics of Standard Italian as well as with geographical variants.-Vowels:Notes:*In Italian there is no phonemic distinction between long and short vowels...
is well known to have undergone cluster reduction, where stop clusters have become geminates
Gemination
In phonetics, gemination happens when a spoken consonant is pronounced for an audibly longer period of time than a short consonant. Gemination is distinct from stress and may appear independently of it....
. For example, Victoria has become Vittoria. In other words, articulation but not length
Chroneme
In linguistics, a chroneme is a basic, theoretical unit of sound that can distinguish words by duration only of a vowel or consonant. The noun chroneme is derived from Greek χρονος , and the suffixed -eme, which is analogous to the -eme in phoneme...
has reduced. A similar occurrence is observed in Portuguese as well, but gemination is absent.
Cluster reduction also takes place in Catalan, and in a similar way as it happens in English. Certain consonant clusters placed at the end of a word are reduced: cent /sen/ instead of /sent/, although they recover the reduced consonant when the cluster falls between vowels: centenar /səntəˈna/. This phenomenon does not exist in Valencian
Valencian
Valencian is the traditional and official name of the Catalan language in the Valencian Community. There are dialectical differences from standard Catalan, and under the Valencian Statute of Autonomy, the Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua has been established as its regulator...
, though: cent /sent/ and centenar /senteˈnaɾ/.