<OT> New Posting: ROA-658

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ROA 658-0404

The Paradox of Hakka Tone Sandhi

Matthew Chen <Matthew at Chen>
Lian Hee Wee <lianhee at cityu.edu.hk>
Xiuhong Yan <yanxiuhong at 163.net>

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=658


Abstract:
The Hakka dialect of Changting, China, exhibits extraordinarily
intricate tone sandhi phenomena that present a formidable
analytical challenge for any theoretical model. The problem
is not unlike what one encounters in rudimentary arithmetic.
The value of 2 + 3 x 4 depends on whether addition or multiplicat
ion comes first:


		2 + (3 x 4) = 14

		(2 + 3) x 4 = 20


The ultimate outcome is determined by the orderly combination
of the elementary operations. Likewise, given a tonal sequence
/ABC/, the phonetic form is predictable from the elementary
sandhi rules that operate on either AB, then BC, or vice
versa. In this paper we offer a fair sample of the empirical
facts instantiating this "directionality" effect (to use
an orthographic metaphor), and investigate the various logistic
moves both Optimality Theory and conventional rule-based
derivational model could make to render an account of the
attested facts.

Comments: 
Keywords: Directionality, Tone Sandhi, Hakka
Areas: Phonology
Type: Manuscript

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=658