Umbrian ⟨rs⟩ and ⟨rf⟩

Abstract

This paper examines two different outcomes of reconstructed *rs sequences in Umbrian. While the sequence *rs which goes back to Proto-Sabellic is continued as ⟨rs⟩,secondary *rs that developed from *rVs by syncope or from *rtt by assibilation and degemination is written as ⟨rf⟩.A synchronic and diachronic analysis of these different outcomes is provided.It is argued that the key conditioning factor for the different outcomes is not whether *rs was diachronically original, but whether *s in *rs formed a simple onset.