<OT> New Posting: ROA-899

[Rutgers Optimality Archive]

ROA 899-0207

*K in Conflation Theory: When a Language Has Transguttural Harmony

Noriko Yamane-Tanaka <nrkyamane at aol.com>

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=899


Abstract:
This paper tries to capture variations of vowel harmony
in Conflation Theory (de Lacy (2002, 2004, 2006)).  Yamane-Tanaka
(2006) assumes Gitksan harmony has variations across speakers:
translaryngeal and transguttural.  These two types cannot
be captured in Conflation Theory unless the composite set
of Place features in a markedness category is properly revised.
The proposal here is to divide the markedness constraint
prohibiting dorsal (= *K) into two distinct constraints
(= *K and *Q).  This solution captures laryngeal transparency
and guttural transparency only with the reranking of conflated
constraints, without stipulating a language-specific markedness
reversal.  This approach limits variations among sets of
the so-called transparent consonants.

Comments: To appear in Phonological Studies Vol. 10
Keywords: place markedness, guttural, vowel harmony, conflation theory, uvular
Areas: Phonology
Type: Journal Article

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=899