Abstract

In Persian, the only syllable type with consonant clusters is cvcc, where its coda can be filled with two consonants. Finding whether these two consonants conform to sonority sequencing principle is the aim of this article. For this reason, the Persian words with cvcc syllable type were selected from Persian dictionaries and were classified based on the vowel filling the nucleus of the syllable and the consonant in the first or second slot of the coda and the following results were obtained:
a. Sonority sequencing principle is confirmed in clusters whose nuclei are /i, u, a/.
b. Sonority sequencing principle is rejected in clusters with vowels /æ, e, o/.
c. Based on sonority sequencing principle, vowels in Persian make up two natural classes namely /æ, e, o/ and /i, u, a/.