Cross-Linguistic Variations in Word-Final Position: The Parametric Hierarchies, Connections and Networks
STUDIA LINGUISTICA, cilt.80, sa.2, 2026 (AHCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 80 Sayı: 2
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1111/stul.70018
- Dergi Adı: STUDIA LINGUISTICA
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI), Scopus, Index Islamicus, Linguistic Bibliography, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, DIALNET
- Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Word-final position is widely recognized as a structurally weak and restricted domain, yet languages differ strikingly in how they regulate segments and clusters at the right edge. While some systems categorically prohibit final consonants, others allow only a subset of segments, and still others impose process-based adjustments such as final devoicing. This study proposes that such typological variation can be systematically captured through parametric hierarchies and networks. Drawing on a broad cross-linguistic sample-such as Italian, Japanese, Malayalam, Spanish, English, French, Polish, Dutch, Vietnamese, Turkish, among others-we argue that three macro-parameters-Final Onset, Branching Rhyme, and Devoicing-provide the structural backbone of word-final phonotactics. These macro-parameters project meso- and micro-settings that regulate segmental classes and positional distributions. Crucially, we introduce floating sub-parameters, which connect macro-domains and generate implicational patterns, explaining why certain restrictions (e.g., final devoicing) arise only under specific configurations. By treating phonology not as a set of isolated parameters but as an interconnected network, the model captures both robust cross-linguistic generalizations and language-specific outcomes. In this way, the study extends parametric theory beyond linear hierarchies and offers a unified framework for understanding the organization of phonological variation at word edges.