<OT> New Posting: ROA-706

[roa at ruccs.rutgers.edu]

ROA 706-0105

The Stress System of Central Raramuri: Root Privilege, Prosodic Faithfulness and Markedness Reversals

Gabriela Caballero <gcaballe at uclink.berkeley.edu>

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=706


Abstract:
This paper investigates the stress system of Central Rar�muri
(CR), an interesting case of morphologically conditioned
phonology that provides a testing ground for the predictions
of Root Controlled Accent (RCA) Hypothesis (Alderete 1997,
1999, 2001) and Cophonologies. The typological and theoretical
relevance of this system stems from the following factors:
a) it is a mixed system  (i.e. partially lexical, partially
rhythmically assigned); b) it is left anchored, and restricted
to the first three syllables (an extremely uncommon pattern
that has been only reported to occur in Icua Tupi (Tupi),
Terena (Tupi), Wishram and Chinook (Penutian) (Kager 1993));
c) the interaction of (a) and (b) yields markedness reversals.
The Raramuri case challenges previous accounts of mixed
stress systems, such as RCA, which rank indexed faithfulness
with respect to a fixed markedness hierarchy. I examine
the implementation of the RCA to the CR mixed stress system
(through undominated Prosodic Faithfulness to the Root),
and argue that compound stress and third-syllable stress
generate a markedness reversal, contrary to what is predicted
by the RCA.  Through examination of a large body of original
data collected through field research, I argue that the
cophonology approach is superior to the RCA in delivering
the correct empirical generalizations.

Comments: 
Keywords: stress, mixed stress, Uto-Aztecan, ternary window, prosodic faithfulness, cophonologies, markedness reversals
Areas: Phonology,Morphology
Type: Manuscript

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=706