Compounding in the world’s languages is a complex word-­‐formation process that is not easily accounted for. Moreover, incorporation is equally complex and problematic. This examination of compounding and incorporation in the Ket language seeks to identify the underlying logic of these processes and to work towards a typology that captures generalizations among the numerous ways in which languages expand their lexicons through these processes. Canonical Typology provides a framework that does just this. A preliminary canonical typology of compounds is proposed here, one that subsumes a range of compounds as well as incorporation. For this reason, the Ket language, which relies heavily on compounding and incorporation, will be used as a test case. The aim is to define the canonical com

This thesis produces a definition of consonant mutations, a hitherto relatively unexplored phenomenon in typology, using a sample of languages from the Celtic and Uralic languages. It is defined using Canonical Typology. The base of the phenomenon is established as ‘functionalized consonant alternations’, with seven dimensions of variation: conditioning elements>no conditioning elements; sole functional indicator>accompanied by other morphemes; more than two grades>two grades; some effect on surrounding vowels>only affecting the consonant; only leniting>also non-leniting sound changes; word-initial/-final>word-medial placement; and less regular>more regular. It is also argued that mutations’ phonology is less important than their function.