The present research describes and analyzes the phonotactic arrangement of two-consonant onset clusters in Sarhaddi Balochi dialect, based on Optimality Theory (Prince and Smolensky, 1993/2004). The statistical population of this descriptive-analytical study consisted of 10 native, low-literate and illiterate speakers, including 4 women and 6 men, aged 60 to 75, residing in villages of the central district of Khash County. Data were collected through interviews with Sarhaddi Balochi speakers and available library resources about this dialect, and after confirmation by native speakers, were transcribed based on the International Phonetic Alphabet. The analysis of optimality tableaux demonstrates that the language-specific constraint "Onset Consonant Cluster," which determines permissible consonant combinations, ranks highest and takes precedence over other faithfulness constraints such as "*AGREE(voice)", "*AGREE (manner)", and "*AGREE(place)", for observing "Sonority Sequencing Principle" (SSP). Consequently, even when permitted two-consonant onset clusters like /mn-/ violate the Sonority Sequencing Principle based on Crystal (2023) and the "Obligatory Contour Principle" according to Trask (1996) in the form of faithfulness constraints mentioned, they are still selected as the optimal structure due to the observance of this high-ranking constraint. Conversely, the constraint "* Complex Onset" is ranked lowest, because onset clusters are permissible in this dialect, and its violation does not affect the selection of the optimal candidate. Also, the findings indicate that the hierarchy of constraints in the syllabic structure of Sarhaddi Balochi dialect is such that the specific structural licenses of this dialect are preferred over universal principles.
Ahangar, A. A. , Ezatabadi Poor, T. and Sagharichi, F. (2026). A Study of the Phonotactics of Two- Consonant Onset Clusters in Sarhaddi Balochi Dialect Based on Optimality Theory. Journal of Linguistics & Iranian Languages, (), -. doi: 10.22099/jlil.2026.55925.1470
MLA
Ahangar, A. A. , , Ezatabadi Poor, T. , and Sagharichi, F. . "A Study of the Phonotactics of Two- Consonant Onset Clusters in Sarhaddi Balochi Dialect Based on Optimality Theory", Journal of Linguistics & Iranian Languages, , , 2026, -. doi: 10.22099/jlil.2026.55925.1470
HARVARD
Ahangar, A. A., Ezatabadi Poor, T., Sagharichi, F. (2026). 'A Study of the Phonotactics of Two- Consonant Onset Clusters in Sarhaddi Balochi Dialect Based on Optimality Theory', Journal of Linguistics & Iranian Languages, (), pp. -. doi: 10.22099/jlil.2026.55925.1470
CHICAGO
A. A. Ahangar , T. Ezatabadi Poor and F. Sagharichi, "A Study of the Phonotactics of Two- Consonant Onset Clusters in Sarhaddi Balochi Dialect Based on Optimality Theory," Journal of Linguistics & Iranian Languages, (2026): -, doi: 10.22099/jlil.2026.55925.1470
VANCOUVER
Ahangar, A. A., Ezatabadi Poor, T., Sagharichi, F. A Study of the Phonotactics of Two- Consonant Onset Clusters in Sarhaddi Balochi Dialect Based on Optimality Theory. Journal of Linguistics & Iranian Languages, 2026; (): -. doi: 10.22099/jlil.2026.55925.1470
)