Word-initial geminates and stress in Pattani Malay

Abstract

In quantity-sensitive stress languages, syllable weight is typically determined by looking at the rhyme only. The location of stress in these languages depends on syllable weight, and hence, the onset never influences the placement of stress. This has long been considered to be a linguistic universal. However, recent phonological studies reveal the existence of languages in which geminate onsets can influence syllable weight as relevant to phonological phenomena other than stress. This predicts the existence of languages in which geminate onsets influence stress placement. In this squib we introduce Pattani Malay, a language in which geminate onsets seem to behave exactly in this fashion. We..