---- Original Message ----
From: fournet.arnaud
To:
cybalist@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2007 3:18 AM
Subject: [!! SPAM] Re: [tied] swallow vs. nighingale
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Grzegorz Jagodzinski
> To: cybalist@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2007 2:45 AM
> Subject: Re: [tied] swallow vs. nighingale
>
>
>> Instead, I notice that phonetic rules function really well on words
>> which fulfil two conditions: a) they have medium frequency, i.e. they
>> are not very rare and not very frequent, b) they are derivatives with
>> clear word-formation structure, and the phonological changes (to go)
>> would not destroy this structure. They may also act quite well when a
>> new phoneme arises or when a phoneme disappears from the language
>> system. =============
> A.F
>> Look at French from LAtin, and you will know that phonetic changes do
>> not care what the structure of the words is.
> =====================
You are simply wrong. Between Latin and French there were many phonetic
changes which were not regular. In particular, the development of frequently
used words (and morphemes) was irregular (and the structure of the word was
also important). Examples are great in number, and you should know many of
them if you are interested in the subject. I intend to prepare a webpage on
phonetic irregularities. Be patient. As for now, only several examples
especially for you:
1) most forms of e^tre and avoir are irregular due to frequence,
2) aller < ambula:re, irregular due to frequence,
3) parler < parabola:re, irregular due to frequence (also Old French parole
> modern parle is irregular),
4) many forms of faire are irregular due to frequence (including faisons
with e muet on the place of <ai>),
5) oie, oiseau, poe^le - all irregular (*a expected on the place of o, cf.
the protoforms: *avicam, *avicellum, patellam), we do not always know why
they are such,
A very good example of irregular change which depended on the structure
is -e:ba:s > old French -eies (-b- lost due to frequence) > -oies > Modern
French -ais (ei > ai irregular). In words with another structure e: > oi >
ai cannot be observed at all.
Grzegorz Jagodzinski
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