<OT> New Posting: ROA-711

[roa at ruccs.rutgers.edu]

ROA 711-0105

Morphological contrast and merger: ranuki in Japanese

Armin Mester <mester at ling.ucsc.edu>
Junko Ito <ito at ling.ucsc.edu>

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=711


Abstract:
This paper deals with ra-nuki ('ra-dropping') in the potential
form of vowel-verbs (tabe-re-ru instead of tabe-rare-ru
'can eat', etc.) in Japanese. By extending systemic and
contrast-based notions originating in recent OT phonology
into morphological paradigms, it argues that this ongoing
change in current Japanese can be given a formal analysis
that does justice to its functional motivation, which lies
in an improved differentiation between potential and passive
forms.

Comments: 
Keywords: allomorphy, paradigms, Japanese, morphological change
Areas: Phonology,Morphology
Type: Manuscript

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=711