Abstract
Research on the nature of word-initial sC-clusters in different languages led scholars to propose several hypotheses on the syllabification of the segments involved in this sequence. Elaborating on the analyses available in the literature for Portuguese and for other languages, we will focus on the segmental and syllabic properties of the members of this cluster in European Portuguese (EP). We will provide empirical evidence from EP dialectal variation and from EP L1 acquisition to argue for the Coda status of the initial fricative and for the presence of a left-adjacent empty Nucleus (Andrade & Rodrigues, 1998; Mateus & Andrade, 2000).
Highlights
The reports available in the literature accounting for the behaviour of word-initial fricative plus obstruent clusters show that the syllabification of these clusters follows different patterns in the languages exhibiting this sequence and that similar syllabifications may display different phonetic shapes
In European Portuguese (EP), as it will be shown in this paper, this type of clusters generally surfaces without a left-adjacent vowel, a word-initial vowel is possible in some contexts, and the deletion of the fricative is not an option in the language
The fricative and the following consonant are associated to two different onsets; the fricative is the onset of a word-initial syllable with an empty nucleus; E
Summary
The reports available in the literature accounting for the behaviour of word-initial fricative plus obstruent clusters (sC-clusters) show that the syllabification of these clusters follows different patterns in the languages exhibiting this sequence and that similar syllabifications may display different phonetic shapes. Empirical evidence from EP dialectal variation and from EP L1 acquisition will be used to discuss the syllable structure assigned to the sC(C)-clusters in this language; based on this evidence, we will argue that, for the analysis of words like [ k l ] escola ‘school’, the syllabification is: (i) the initial fricative of the cluster associates to a coda position with a left-adjacent empty nucleus and (ii) the following consonant(s) associate to an onset position.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
