Georgian consonant clusters: The complexity is in the structure, not the melody

Abstract

This article attempts to present an account of non-derived words in Georgian that exhibit initial consonant sequences of up to six members. The approach is in the framework of Head-Driven Phonology , in which phonological representations are considered to be cognitive representations involving computational processes that rely upon head/dependent relations but are not necessarily direct representations of phonetic surface forms. These head/dependent relations account for (a) the structure of phonological forms, (b) the melodic content permitted to occur in certain positions, and (c) the interpretation of certain phonological objects for surface realization. Two specific relational types, namely, proper government (a relation holding between nuclei) and inter-onset government (a relation holding between onsets) are relations which are triggered due to the defective content of one of these constituent types. With nuclei, it is the absence of melodic material, hence ‘empty nucleus’, and with onsets, it is the presence of the (v) element, indicating absence of resonance material for the consonantal object. Such absence of material, or emptiness, requires a stronger neighboring object on its projection to legitimize or license its existence to remain. These two licensing relations are shown to work in combination with one another in Georgian to yield the surface effect of two-member harmonic clusters preceded or followed by a third consonant. Lastly, a third type of head/dependent licensing relation ( inter-onset licensing ) is appealed to in order to account for the effect that one onset head (be it of a domain or single constituent) has on the structural governing abilities of another and upon the melodic content permitted within that dependent onset.