/mu/ Reduction and NC Syllabification in siSwati: An Optimality Theory Analysis

Purpose: This paper examines the different realisations of Nasal Consonant sequences (NCs) and their syllabification across various morphosyntactic domains in siSwati. Methodology: The study utilises data collected from descriptive and theoretical studies on siSwati linguistics, relying on native speaker intuition and knowledge of the language for verification. It employs Optimality Theory (OT) to account for the intralinguistic variation in the representation of NCs in siSwati. Within this framework, OT provides a principled account of how phonological constraints interact with morphological structure to yield the observed patterns of NC syllabification in siSwati. Findings: Findings indicate that the syllabification of NC sequences is predictable, with /mu/ truncated forms parsing a syllabic segment; otherwise, siSwati maintains homorganicity between the nasal and the following consonant in various derived and non-derived contexts. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Previous research on NC syllabification in siSwati presupposes the existence of codas emanating from /mu/ truncation. These studies also focused on /mu/ reduction in siSwati alongside other Bantu languages, mapping the degree of similarity and dissimilarities in NC syllabification patterns in the languages under investigation. The current study provides an in-depth investigation of the morphosyntactic and phonological contexts in which /mu/ truncation occurs. The study argues that NC representation is determined by the interaction between phonology and morphology within the grammar. The analysis considers two phonological contexts: a) NCs derived from /mu/ truncation, and b) those in non-derived environments.