The Evolution Of Germanic Phonological Systems

This work expounds a new approach to fundamental problems of phonology. based on applying principals of general systemics to linguistic exploration. The proposed approach is then applied to the historical evolution of Germanic phonological systems since the separation of Proto-Gennanic from Proto-Indo-European, concluding with modem Gennan, English, Dutch, Swedish. Danish. and Icelandic. It is demonstrated that these divergent evolutionary lines have been continuous cause-and-effect chains, and that the root causes ofphonological evolution lie in the re.rtructurings on the systemic tier of the ultimate phonological quanta.