Liaison, nasal vowels and productivity

Abstract

In previous discussion of the phonological interpretation of nasal vowels in liaison, the assumption has been that there are just two competing patterns, seen in bon ami and mon ami. Compelling evidence exists however of a third pattern which involves ‘ZERO-liaison’ or the non-use of a distinct liaison alternant. Strikingly, this pattern is found in contexts where productive liaison usage can be tested for, and consequently it may be viewed as the emerging default arrangement in modern French pronunciation. In the light of this, a new interpretation is proposed for liaison with nasal vowels.