Open phonological conduct of the consonants

Abstract

The subject of this paper is a synchronic analysis of the early West-Saxon consonant system. The aim of the article was to determine the underlying consonant system and to show some aspects of interrelation between phonology and morphology. The present consideration and analysis of the early West-Saxon consonant system is based on the theory of generative phonology as formulated by Noam Chomsky and Morris Halle. The distinctive features are ones formulated by Roman Jakobson. A synchronic description of an extinct language that no living being ever heard must essentially be based on the written evidence, namely, historical orthography and its interpretation. Some a priori assumptions were necessary but no diachornic considerations were taken into account while stating the synchronic rules. Diachronic evidence was mentioned because some of the synchronic rules were equivalent or similar to the diachronic rules. The present analysis is not an exhaustive study of all aspects of early West-Saxon phonology but the analysis shows that there are less consonants in the underlying phonological matrix than the traditional grammars assume as it is evident from the given matrix on the previous page. The phonological rules that were operative in the early West-Saxon dialect are: palatalization rule, y-conversion, x-conversion, gemmination, j-formation, w-formation, n-ve- larization, j-dropping, h-dropping, assimilation and voicing.