<OT> New Posting: ROA-919

[roa at ruccs.rutgers.edu]

ROA 919-0707

A Percolative Model of Phonology

Lian Hee Wee <lianhee at hkbu.edu.hk>

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=919


Abstract:
This paper presents data from Tianjin tritonal sandhi patterns
that challenge both traditional derivational approaches
and standard Optimality Theoretic (OT) approaches to phonological
alternation. If construed derivationally, Tianjin tritonal
sandhi requires derivational reversals; but if construed
within OT, involves combinations of opacity and transparency.
The account proposed here appeals to a percolative model
where phonological information from terminal nodes finds
correspondences in higher nodes, such that the correspondences
may be imperfect when triggered by markedness requirements.
While this requires a total re-conceptualization of phonological
representations, this paper argues that it is well worth
it because it predicts firstly, that directionality is a
derivate from branching; secondly that the depth of derivational
opacity is confined by structural depth; thirdly, that constituen
cy, not adjacency, provides the environment for triggering
alternation and alternation rules can therefore be blocked
when marked collocations belong to different constituencies;
and fourthly that underlying entities can have split surface
correspondences. All these predictions are borne out.

Comments: 
Keywords: percolation, correspondence, opacity, directionality, tone sandhi, Hong split gemination
Areas: Phonology
Type: Manuscript

Direct link: http://roa.rutgers.edu/view.php3?roa=919