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<font size="+1">Dear Elissa,<br>
dear all,<br>
<br>
1. The tounge-tip <i>r</i> in Ladakhi seems to have some palatal
properties, especially when followed by a palatal vowel, and even
more apparent when followed by i.<br>
<br>
2. In certain original clusters (this depends on the dialect) the
postradical <i>r</i> has turned into a retroflex stop.<br>
Róna-Tas had shown that the Tibetan postradicals had a tendency to
spirantise and then oust the former preceding radical. <br>
What we have is thus not a palatalisation or retroflexivisation of
the cluster, but a continuation of the earstwhile postradical.<br>
In the case of postradical <i>r</i> this process typically lead
to the retroflex realisation, sometimes more like a stop as in
Ladakhi (this might be due to the Indian influence), in other
cases more like a fricative.<br>
<br>
I wonder how a phonetician would explain how the spirantisation
leads to a retroflex.<br>
Somehow this seems to be related to Elissa's second point.<br>
So perhaps we could discuss this in some detail? <br>
<br>
3. Diachronic and synchronic data from Tibetan shows an
alternation between postradical <i>r</i>, mainly in the West, and
postradical <i>y</i> [j] in the east. Apparent cognates in
Burmish languages also often have a palatal glide where Tibetan
has an r. The alternation does not seem to occur with initials, as
far as I have seen.<br>
<br>
From the data available, it would look like a development r >
y. For me it also seems to be the more feasible direction.
However, I wonder whether the development could also go the other
direction.<br>
<br>
Has anybody observed y [j] > r?<br>
And if so, has anybody an explanation how this could happen?<br>
Or if not, has anybody an explanation why this could not happen?<br>
<br>
Greetings<br>
Bettina <br>
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