--- In phoNet@y..., Piotr Gasiorowski <piotr.gasiorowski@i...> wrote:
> Robert Blust ("Patterns of sound change in the Austronesian
languages". In: Philip Baldi [ed.]. 1990. _Linguistic Change and
Reconstruction Methodology_. Berlin/NY: Mouton de Gruyter. 231-267)
cites a number of interesting AN developments involving nasality
(being a vast family with a relatively well-reconstructed history, AN
is an excellent testing ground for would-be "diachronic universals").
Here are a handful of examples:
<Snip>

> There is a curious phenomenon called "rhinoglottophilia" (Matisoff
1975), consisting in a correlation between glottal or pharyngeal
activity and the position of the velum (note the characteristic
nasalisation of uh-huh-like grunts). There are several examples of
nasality conditioned by "laryngeals" in AN (e.g. in Rennellese).
<Snip>

And indeed I thinks Blust gives more examples than he admits to. He
give the nasalisation of vowels after /h/ as an example in
Rennellese, but I think there is another example. He describes the
Rennellese change /l/ > /ngg/ ( spelt <nng> according to
http://www.ling.su.se/pollinet/facts/ren.html ) as 'inexplicable',
but I can see a rhinoglottophiliac route:

l > r > R > G > ngG > ngg (where G is a voiced guttural fricative,
and ng is the guttural nasal throughout this posting).

/R/ > /g/ is reported as a frequent Austronesian change. This
explanation looks consistent with the current phonology - Rennellese
lacks /r/, and /l/ appears to be marginal. As an instance of trends,
there is also a statement in
http://www.peoplefirst.net.sb/Renbel/Environment_and_Population.htm
that /g/ > /ng/ in the Bellona dialect; Blust notes that /ngg/ > /ng/
in that dialect.

Richard.