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The aim of this article is to explain the changes of the alveolar fricative /s/ to the glottal fricative [h] in Kerinci. The existence of Kerinci-language in Malaysia is due to the mobility and migration of speakers who came from West Sumatra, Indonesia. Both Kerinci languages spoken in those two countries have different set of sound system. However, Kerinci phonological system in Malaysia has not been theoretically discussed. . The sample selected in the Kerinci Malay community in Kampung Sungai Lui, Hulu Langat are aged between 50 years and above. Data was obtained through observations and interviews. The recording was then transcribed for the purpose of analyzing and explaining the sound changes. The study employs the generative phonology framework to explain the changes of /s/ to [h]. The phonological processes does not only involve changes to segment /s/, but also affects precedeing vocal sounds such as /a, i, u/. The results showed that vowel /a, i, u/ that precedes the segment /s/ in Kerinci will experience a phonological process and produce a different surface from each other. The phonological processes involved are vocal raising rule that change /as/ to [εh] and vowel reduction rule that change /is/ to [æh] and /us/ to [awh]. However, any changes require a description of the program formulas to describe the process that first occurs. The results show that the changes of segment /s/ to [h] only occur after the implementation of the rules that change the vowels in order to comply to the conditions specified on common stated rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the constraint interactions that account for the basic syllable types in the Kelantan Malay dialect based on Optimality Theory (OT). Previous analysis of basic syllables in Malay focused only on the possible types of syllables. These analyses do not offer any explanation on the differences found in the possible syllable types found in various Malay dialects even though they all originated from the same parent language. Most of these analyses described the basic syllable template as (consonant)-vowel- (consonant) or (C)V(C), CV, CVC, VC and V. Nevertheless, this paper presents an alternative description using a set of constraint hierarchy in the Kelantan grammar, which is different from the set of constraint hierarchy for the standard Malay variety, in order to account for the basic syllable types in Kelantan Malay. The set of constraints hierarchy proposed for Kelantan Malay comprises *COMPLEXNUCLEI, *COMPLEXCODA, CONTIGROOT >> ALIGN-LEFT >> ONSET >> DEP >> MAX >> *CODA. These constraints are considered universal in the human mind; however, its hierarchy depends on the constraints interaction of the language or the local dialect. The present analysis shows that the explanation available from constraints interaction from OT has greater explanatory power in describing the grammar of a language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]