An Optimality-Theoretic Analysis of Codas in Brazilian Portuguese

Abstract

Brazilian Portuguese allows only /s, N, l, r/ syllable finally, and of these, only /s/ is realized faithfully (as well as /r/ for some speakers). In order to avoid unacceptable codas, dialects of Brazilian Portuguese employ such strategies as epenthesis, nasal absorption, debucalization, and gliding. The current analysis argues that codas in Brazilian Portuguese become progressively more acceptable according to their sonority, with more sonorous codas suffering less drastic changes in form and syllable structure. Dovetailing principles of optimality theory and sonority sequencing, the current analysis results in a succinct, cohesive account of Brazilian Portuguese codas.