<OT> New Posting: ROA-716

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ROA 716-0205

Theoretical Issues in Nuu-chah-nulth Phonology and Morphology

Eun-Sook Kim <vanabba at yahoo.ca>

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=716


Abstract:
This dissertation covers a broad range of the phonological
and morphological phenomena found in Nuu-chah-nulth, a Wakashan
language of British Columbia. Chapter 2 discusses the internal
structure of Nuu-chah-nulth words and morphological properties
that are related to phonological phenomena. Nuu-chah-nulth
words consist of a root followed by suffixes, which must
be classified into lexical and grammatical categories. It
is important to understand the mechanism of combining morphemes
and the characteristics of morphemes in order to find out
how and/or to what extent morphology is involved in phonological
alternations. Chapter 3 treats the properties of intra-
and inter-segmental phonology and their consequences for
linguistic theory. In particular, sections 3.1 and 3.2 look
at how free combination of features drives surface alternations,
especially consonant alternation. How to encode patterns,
where instances of the same surface segments exhibit different
behaviour depending on the morpheme in which they are found,
has been a controversial issue. The approach of this thesis
to this problem involves a solution consistent with a core
idea of Optimality Theory, �Richness of the Base�. Chapter
4 provides additional characteristics of Nuu-chah-nulth
prosody such as syllable structure, prosodic units, vowel
hiatus and consonant clusters. Prosodic structures in Nuu-chah-nu
lth pose many interesting typological issues. I discuss
basic properties of prosodic structures and their relationship
with some phonological processes. Finally, chapter 5 investigates
morphological processes such as reduplication and allomorphy.
Nuu-chah-nulth has multiple patterns of reduplicant and
base, which is not common cross-linguistically. The treatment
of 9 patterns of reduplication is conducted in terms of
both prosodic and metrical templates. This chapter focuses
on how and to what extent phonology can be involved in the
formation of words. In sum, this thesis defines how the
interaction between phonology and morphology can be interpreted
within Optimality Theory.

Comments: UBC PhD Dissertation, 2003
Keywords: Nuu-chah-nulth, Wakashan, endangered language, glottalisation, lenition, delabialisation, vowel alternation, variable vowels, foot, templatic, reduplication, allomorphy, richness of the base
Areas: Phonology,Morphology,Phonetics
Type: PhD Dissertation

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=716