Liquids

In general there are three Suriname-internal developments concerning liquids.

Firstly, a tendency to neutralize the distinction between /l/ and /r/. In Ndyuka and Saramaccan the result is always /l/. In Sranan we see a more complex near-neutralization. “Near-neutralization”, because the process is not totally complete. Word-internally liquids go to [r], and initially to [l]. The first liquid also goes to /l/ if pre-stress, even if a vowel precedes.

Secondly, a tendency to lose word-internal liquids altogether in Ndyuka and Saramaccan. In Ndyuka intervocalic liquids tend to be preserved only if the surrounding vowels are different; they are lost if the vowels are identical. Word-internal liquids are virtually always lost in Saramaccan, except in recent loanwords. Clusters were epenthesized away, followed by loss of the liquid in Ndyuka and Saramaccan.

The third tendency is one of liquefaction of word-internal /d/’s following earlier liquids. This is nowadays restricted to Ndyuka and Saramaccan, although in older Sranan recordings it makes a sporadic appearance. As we can see, subsequent /l/- loss has virtually removed the resultant liquid in Saramaccan.