Reanalisando o processo de cancelamento do ( r ) em final de sílaba

Abstract

Abstract This paper is an attempt to reanalyse the process of final (r) deletion in Portuguese nominals according to the Lexical Diffusion Model.This analysis considers not only structural factors, mainly the lexical item, but also the individual as an important factor in the spread of the process, according to Shen (1990). Evidence is provided to show that the idea advanced in Oliveira (1991), that all sound changes are instances of lexical diffusion processes, is superior to the analysis provided by Oliveira (1983), cast in the Neogrammarian Model, for the same process.