<OT> ROA-862: Prosodic structure in child French: Evidence for the foot

[Rutgers Optimality Archive]

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ROA-861-0906

Title: Prosodic structure in child French: Evidence for the foot
Author-1: Heather Goad, McGill University <heather.goad at mcgill.ca>
Author-2: Meaghen Buckley <meaghen.buckley at mail.mcgill.ca>
Length: 27 pp.

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=862

Abstract:
There is disagreement in the literature on whether French has stress
and on whether it has a foot projection. The disagreement stems from
the observation that French is unusual in that the phrase rather than
the word is the domain of stress assignment, there is optional initial
stress in addition to obligatory final stress, and there are rampant
violations of word minimality. In view of these observations, this
paper examines the outputs of a child learner of Québec French in an
attempt to determine the conclusions she has arrived at concerning the
status of the foot in the language being acquired. It is demonstrated
that, in spite of the challenge that the facts of the target language
present, from the onset of production, the child's outputs are
compatible with standard views on prosodic structure. Word minimality
effects, the distribution of final lengthening, the emergence of
word-final consonants, and the organisation of functional material
into prosodic structure are all examined. The paper also provides a
preliminary analysis of stress in target French which is, to the
greatest extent possible, consistent with standard views on prosodic
structure.

Areas: Phonology, Language Acquisition
Keywords: French, Québec French, stress, foot binarity, word
minimality, truncation, prosodic structure
Type: Journal Article

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=862