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The clitic allomorph /ən/ of the coordinating conjunction en /ɛn/
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If the coordinating conjunction en /ɛn/ and is not stressed, its vowel can undergo reduction. The result is /ən/, a form with schwa as both the only and the initial vowel. This it the reason that it cannot function as an independent word, but only as a clitic. The behaviour and distribution of this reduced variant of en is the subject of this topic.

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If the coordinating conjunction en /ɛn/ and is not stressed, its vowel can undergo reduction (see Riemersma (1979:52-53)). The result is /ən/, a form with schwa as both the only and the initial vowel, for which reason it cannot function as an independent word, but only as a clitic. That this reduced variant may show up as syllabic [n̩] is indicative of the fact that /ən/ and the word preceding it make up one phonological word (see Syllabic sonorant consonants). Examples of the clitic behaviour of /ən/ are given in (1):

1
Examples of the clitic behaviour of the coordinating conjunction 'en'
út en troch /yt ɛn trox/ [ytn̩trox] out and through (every) now and then
op en út /op ɛn yt/ [opm̩yt] on and out through and through
ienentritich /jɪn ɛn tritəɣ/ [jɪnn̩tritəx] one and thirty thirty-one

The above are (fixed) collocations, which seem to provide the most appropriate context for the reduction of the vowel of en /ɛn/ and.

References
  • Riemersma, Tr1979Sylabysjerring, nazzeljerring, assymyljerringLjouwertKoperative Utjowerij
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