Beijing Mandarin nasalization upon r-suffixation is phonologized: A nasometry study

In Beijing Mandarin, r-suffixation is a diminutive formation process that adds a rhotic suffix, which typically overwrites syllable-final nasal codas. Previous work by Zhang [Phonology 17, 427–478 (2000)] used nasal airflow data to argue that the categorical preservation of nasality in suffixed /CVŋ + ɻ/ as opposed to /CVn + ɻ/ is driven by salient differences in nasalization in the stem. A nasometry study revealed no significant nasalance difference between CVn and CVŋ stems, contradicting previous aerodynamic evidence. Nevertheless, a significant nasalization contrast remained in r-suffixed forms. These findings suggest that the alternation is reanalyzed as phonological instead of a reflection of phonetic differences in vowel nasalance in the stem.