A Study on Intervocalic Consonant Clusters in Manchu

Abstract

Despite the fact that Manchu began to be recorded as late as in the beginning of the 17th century the phonological study of Manchu presents inherently difficult problems. They are as follows: Firstly, Manchu being almost a dead language, there is no modern Manchu now whose older form is reflected in the written record. Secondly, Manchu spelling is stable and almost fixed since it has mainly the same shape it took in the 17th century. Thirdly, as is usually the case with other written records, the Manchu orthography of the 17th century does not reflect the phonological phenomena of that period well enough.