The Structure of Words in the Balkanic Languages

Abstract

The Balkanic languages differ to a considerable degree with regard to their phoneme systems and to the distribution of stress, but they show similarities as to the structure of words. However, these similarities are not the result of convergent sound change, rather they owe their existence to inherited Indoeuropean structures and, to an even a greater degree, to universal tendencies in sound change. These are in the first line changes reducing sounds at the end of words, and moving consonants towards word beginning, thus increasing the number of clusters in initial and medial positions. Trends to final reduction, aphaeresis, metathesis and prothesis have not been strong enough to create homogeneous structures in the Balkanic languages. For instance, Modern Greek essentially owes its character to its antique predecessor, whereas Gegic Albanian presents a great number of individual innovations. There is no general reduction of consonant clusters, especially no loss of initial clusters, say, under the influence of Turkish.