Matrices

• Two-dimensional distribution matrices are phoneme based tables of initial consonant clusters followed by a vowel (IC x V) and a vowel followed by final consonant (V x FC) clusters which are used in conjunction with templates in order to restrict the combinations of consonants and vowels.
• For each instantiation of the templates C V- and -V C, a distribution matrix is constructed.
• The example distribution matrix for English (word-) initial CCV- combinations is taken from Gimson (1970:244-255; cf. also Philipp, 1974 for examples of German data).
• The difference between accidental and systematic gaps is catered for in the matrix description in so far as most accidental gaps and but not all systematic gaps are described.
• The matrix description does not overgeneralise. The distribution matrix describes the forms /br/ and /bl/. There is no restriction on the combinations of information from different matrices, and therefore these could both be combined with the form /k/ from a -VC distribution matrix.