Miguel:
>Well, it's not as simple as that, far from it. The problem of /a/ is
>a tough and subtle one, and simple rules do not apply.
Occam's Razor. Unless you can support the need for a more complex
theory (which you have not yet done), a simpler one should suffice.
You initially claimed that nasalization is the cause of *a in a select
list of morphemes where laryngeals appear to not be the cause. Both *m
_and_ *n are nasal, so they must be both included in your nasalization
rule.
You now claim that you're "pretty sure it doesn't apply to **na:",
showing that nasalization cannot be the cause, or sole cause, since *n
is quite obviously a nasal phoneme. You also have proceded to list a
number of exceptions ad absurdum whose processes are, as usual, obscure.
This conclusively shows that your initial "nasalization claim" is either
incomplete or incorrect.
I await a more precise statement of your theory. Is this trigger now
a chaotic combination of labiality, nasality and accentuation?
- gLeN
_________________________________________________________________
Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online
http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963