Sonorant expansion in English and German

Abstract

This paper aims to integrate three apparently divergent phenomena in which the leading role is played by sonorants. We start the discussion by looking closely at syllabic consonants and vowel syncope in two languages: English and German. Additionally, the two structures are compared to certain cases of vowel-zero alternations. It will be pointed out that syllabic consonants stem from the expansionist behavior of sonorants as a reaction to their positional weakness. This solution is then extended to cover the cases of vowel syncope and vowel-zero alternations in both English and German. Finally, the findings allow us to assume an active role of sonorants which can cover a long distance from a syllabic consonant to a governing relation with the preceding obstruent.