<OT> New Posting: ROA-756

Rutgers Optimality Archive roa at ruccs.rutgers.edu
Wed Jul 20 11:22:27 PDT 2005


ROA 756-0705

Putting 'commas' at the right place: A note on crucial non-ranking in OT

Nina Topintzi <i.topintzi at ucl.ac.uk>

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=756


Abstract:
Two conceptions of crucial non-ranking have been proposed in the 
literature: i) one that produces variation (Anttila 1997) and ii) that 
of equal ranking (Crowhurst 2001, Crowhurst and Michael 2005, Topintzi 
2005, Rice in press). I show that the former is erroneous in that it 
predicts unattested variation or fails to account for certain cases 
altogether. It is also unnecessary since it can be subsumed by the 
Gradual Learning Algorithm (Boersma and Hayes 2001). I thus conclude 
that a single notion of crucial non-ranking exists, that of equal 
ranking. Since alternatives such as constraint conjunction cannot 
replace equal ranking, I argue that it must be recognised as a 
genuinely distinct ranking relationship.

Comments:
Keywords: crucial non-ranking, equal ranking, variation, gradual 
learning algorithm, local conjunction
Areas: Phonology
Type: Manuscript

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=756



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