Abstract :
The present study examines palatalized r-sounds, i.e. flaps, trills and approximants, from a cross-linguistic perspective. Following similar observations made by earlier linguists, it will be argued that sounds like [rj] are far more marked in the languages of the world than palatalized nonrhotics like [tj dj nj Ij], a claim that is based on the typological generalizations postulated below. That r-sounds are not stable hosts for palatalization will be attributed to a general ban on palatalized apical sounds. The present proposal derives support from the fact that sounds like [rj] are apical and that nonrhotic apical consonants e.g. retroflex sounds like [t, /S], also avoid secondary palatalization. The explanation offered here for the markedness of palatalized rhotics will be argued to be superior to the one put forth by Walsh Dickey (1997).
