<OT> New Posting: ROA-616

[roa at ruccs.rutgers.edu]

ROA 616-0903

Richness of the Base and the Determination of Underlying Representations

John J. McCarthy <jmccarthy at linguist.umass.edu>

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=616


Abstract:
Richness of the base is an important but neglected aspect
of Optimality Theory. In this paper, I show how richness
of the base, when combined with OT’s thesis of a universal,
typologically-justified constraint set, sheds light on a
classic phonological problem, the indeterminacy of underlying
representations. This point is illustrated with an analysis
of stem-final vowels in Cairene Arabic. I also use this
evidence to defend a related thesis that has recently been
called into question, the existence of underlying representations
.

Comments: 
Keywords: richness, ROTB, underlying, Arabic
Areas: 
Type: Manuscript

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=616