The pre-nasalized consonants of kriyol

Abstract

The status of the pre-nasalized consonants of basilectal Kriyol (Guinea-Bissau Creole) is a matter of some dispute in the literature, between proponents of bisegmental analyses and of a monosegmental one. After first critically reviewing bisegmental analyses, this paper examines synchronic and diachronic data in favour of an interpretation of pre-nasalized consonants as single phonemes. This analysis is further supported by comparative evidence from other creoles, with various lexifiers (Portuguese, Spanish and English).

Keywords

• Kriyol
• syllabic nasals
• pre-nasalized consonants
• bisegmental
• monosegmental