Most languages fulfill Optimality Theory’s HNuc (“H-nuke”) constraint by making these constructs obligatory, unlike Czech and Tashelhiyt (“ta-shill-HEET”) Berber. (-5[1])Back mutation in Old English is an example of the “breaking” of these constructs. (10[1])In one Salishan (10[1])language, the phrase “then he had (-5[2])in his possession a bunchberry plant” (-5[1])entirely lacks these constructs. (10[4]-5[2])Unlike standard Italian’s (10[2])seven, (-5[1])Sardinian (10[2]-5[1])only distinguishes (10[3])five (-5[1])of these (10[1]-5[1])constructs’ (10[1]-5[1])qualities. (10[2]-5[1])The transition (10[1])from Middle to Early (10[1])Modern English (-5[1])brought (10[3])about (10[3])a (10[1])“Great” (10[13])shift (10[16])of (10[4])these (10[13]-5[1])constructs. (10[29])Two of (10[1])these constructs (10[1])are undergoing (10[2])the “cot–caught” merger (10[1])in American English. (10[2])For (10[1])10 points, name these linguistic sounds contrasted (10[1])with consonants. ■END■ (10[7])