<OT> New Posting: ROA-578

[roa@ruccs.rutgers.edu]

ROA 578-0203

Markedness and the typology of epenthetic vowels

Linda Lombardi <LL57@umail.umd.edu>

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=578


Abstract:
Using cross-linguistic evidence from the relationship of
epenthetic vowel
choice to the vowel system of a given language, this paper
proposes a set
of context-free markedness constraints on vowel features.
Universally
ranked constraints yield the result that front vowels are
more marked than
back and that round vowels are marked; languages may vary
in how they rank
the markedness of low and nonlow vowels.  If low vowels
are unmarked the
epenthetic vowel is [a].  If nonlow vowels are unmarked,
the epenthetic
vowel is the least marked possible given the vowel system
of the language.
[barred-i] is epenthetic if present; [schwa] is epenthetic
if it is present
and [barred-i] is not; these vowels are unmarked on the
backness and rounding
dimensions.  If neither ‘central' vowel is part of the system,
the epenthetic
vowel will generally be [i]: constraint conflict forces
the choice of a
more marked front vowel in order to avoid violations of
markedness on the
mid and round dimensions.

Keywords: vowels, epenthesis, markedness

Areas: Phonology

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=578