A Contrast-based Analysis of Consonant Cluster Simplification in English

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to reconsider Consonant Cluster Simplification in English. We first provide a brief review of previous syllable-based analyses of the phenomenon, showing that they are empirically inadequate. Then considering CCS within a framework of the cue-based theory (Steriade, 2000), we claim that it can be given a natural and unified account in terms of the perceptual salience of the involved consonants. We claim that the quality and quantity of the internal and external cues determine CCS: Consonants with perceptually salient phonetic cues resist deletion, while consonants lacking salient cues are relatively prone to deletion.