<OT> New Posting: ROA-571

[roa@equinox.rutgers.edu]

ROA 571-0103

Language and Music in Optimality Theory

Dicky Gilbers <gilbers@let.rug.nl>
Maartje Schreuder <M.J.schreuder@let.rug.nl>

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=571


Abstract:
MUSIC IN OPTIMALITY THEORY
DICKY GILBERS & MAARTJE SCHREUDER, UNIVERSITY OF GRONINGEN

Jackendoff and Lerdahl (1983) point out the resemblance between the ways
both linguists and musicologists structure their research objects. This
insight gave rise to the proposal of a formal generative theory of tonal
music, in which they describe musical intuition. Above all, insights from
non-linear phonology (cf. a.o. Liberman & Prince 1977) led to scores provided
with tree structures, indicating heads and dependent constituents in the
investigated domains. In this way, composer Lerdahl and linguist Jackendoff
bring to life a synthesis of linguistic methodology and the insights of
music theory.
In our paper we pose new arguments for the proposition that every form
of temporal ordered behavior, like language and music, is structured the
same. In both disciplines the research object is structured hierarchically
and in each domain the important and less important constituents are defined.
In Lerdahl and Jackendoff’s music theory, these heads and dependents are
defined by preference rules determining which outputs, i.e., the possible
interpretations of a musical piece, are well-formed. Some outputs are more
preferred than others. Preference rules, however, are not strict claims
on outputs. It is even possible for a preferred interpretation of a musical
piece to violate a certain preference rule. This is only possible, however,
if violation of that preference rule leads to the satisfaction of a more
important preference rule.
This system of violable output oriented preference rules in the music theory
leads us to a second investigation of the similarities of language and
music, for a practically identical evaluation system, which uses similar
well-formedness conditions, can be found in Prince and Smolensky’s Optimality
Theory (1993). This theory owes a lot to the work of Lerdahl and Jackendoff.

In our paper we will show that in the present state of phonology the resemblance
is even more striking than at the time of Lerdahl and Jackendoff (1983).
On the basis of this great resemblance we will show that insights of music
theory can help out in all kinds of phonological issues, like rhythmic
variability, restructuring, lengthening and phrasing phenomena.


Keywords: music, rhythmic variability

Areas: Music

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=571