<OT> New Posting: ROA-836

[roa at ruccs.rutgers.edu]

ROA 836-0606

Ternary Stress

Paula Houghton <paden at student.umass.edu>

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=836


Abstract:
In this paper, I provide an analysis of ternary stress in
Optimality Theory; specifically, I look at the five languages
known to have an iterative ternary rhythm.  A dialect of
Bangla spoken in the Tripura region of India -- Tripura
Bangla -- is one of these languages.  Tripura Bangla is
an interesting case to study because the current theory
does not provide the sufficient tools for dealing with the
particulars of its stress pattern.  Specifically, the three-sylla
ble lapses in words of the length 3n+1 syllables cannot
be accounted for with *EXTENDED-LAPSE alone; I propose a
new family of extended lapse constraints, synthesizing the
qualities of positionally licensed lapse constraints, such
as LAPSE-AT-END and LAPSE-AT-PEAK, and the usual *EXTENDED-LAPSE
constraint. Specifically, I claim that in addition to *Extended
Lapse, there are constraints licensing extended lapses word-final
ly and at the word peak -- EXTENDED-LAPSE-AT-END and EXTENDED-LAP
SE-AT-PEAK respectively.  I show that EXTENDED-LAPSE-AT-END
is absolutely essential to the successful analysis of Tripura
Bangla; there exists no other way of producing the observed
stress pattern.  These positionally licensed extended lapse
constraints are an important aspect of Lapse Length Differentiati
on Theory (LLDT), the theory posited in this paper to explain
all systems of ternary stress.  LLDT consists of the ranking
schema Extended Lapse Constraint >> Foot Economy Constraint
>> Lapse Constraint.  I also show that LLDT accurately predicts
and accounts for the other known systems of ternary stress:
Cayuvava, Estonian, Chugach Yupik, and Winnebago.

Comments: 
Keywords: stress, positional licensing, Tripura Bangla, Cayuvava, Estonian, Chugach Yupik, Winnebago, ternary stress, extended lapse
Areas: Phonology
Type: Manuscript

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=836