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16
In addition to single consonants, there are twenty-five
consonant clusters that are used initially, and some of them
medially, but not at the end of the word. We can divide
these consonant clusters into three groups: those with [h]
as the second element, those with [r] as the second element,
and those with [1] as the second element.
(a). Consonant clusters with [h]: [ph th ch kh bh dh
jh gh nh lh rh] .
Lawler (1977) and Durie (1985) treat these as aspirated
unit phonemes or phones /p h /, /t h /, /c h /, /k n /, etc. I treat
them as clusters because they are split by the infix -eun-
when the words (adjectives) containing them are used with
meu- ... -eun- discussed in 2.3.1.2. For example,
muoeuneuhet 'rather bitter' (from phet 'bitter'), and
meukeuneuhie ' (it) tastes a little bit like bad cooking oil'
(from khie '(it) tastes like bad cooking oil'). However,
examples are rare, which is also true of other words
beginning with consonant clusters; not many words beginning
with consonant clusters can be used with meu- ... -eun-.
(b). Consonant clusters with [r]: [pr tr cr kr br dr
jr gr].
(c). Consonant clusters with [1]: [pi - cl kl bl
jl gi].