Cross‐Linguistic Variations in Word‐Final Position: The Parametric Hierarchies, Connections and Networks

Word‐final position is widely recognized as a structurally weak and restricted domain, yet languages differ strikingly in how they regulate segments and clusters at the right edge. While some systems categorically prohibit final consonants, others allow only a subset of segments, and still others impose process‐based adjustments such as final devoicing. This study proposes that such typological variation can be systematically captured through parametric hierarchies and networks. Drawing on a broad cross‐linguistic sample—such as Italian, Japanese, Malayalam, Spanish, English, French, Polish, Dutch, Vietnamese, Turkish, among others—we argue that three macro‐parameters—Final Onset, Branching Rhyme, and Devoicing—provide the structural backbone of word‐final phonotactics. These macro‐parameters project meso‐ and micro‐settings that regulate segmental classes and positional distributions. Crucially, we introduce floating sub‐parameters, which connect macro‐domains and generate implicational patterns, explaining why certain restrictions (e.g., final devoicing) arise only under specific configurations. By treating phonology not as a set of isolated parameters but as an interconnected network, the model captures both robust cross‐linguistic generalizations and language‐specific outcomes. In this way, the study extends parametric theory beyond linear hierarchies and offers a unified framework for understanding the organization of phonological variation at word edges.