Epenthesis, Geminates, and the OCP in Finnish

1999 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heli Harrikari
Keyword(s):  
Optimality Theory ◽  
Consonant Clusters ◽  
Theoretic Analysis ◽  
Obligatory Contour Principle ◽  
Phonological Length

This study re-evaluates the representation of phonological length in Finnish in the light of Optimality Theory. The Obligatory Contour Principle (OCP) prohibits sequences of identical elements. It follows that long segments cannot be represented as sequences of two short segments, but must be interpreted monosegmentally (i.e. non-linearly). In Finnish, long segments have been traditionally represented bisegmentally, consequently violating the OCP. There are, however, phenomena in Finnish, such as dialectal epenthesis, which pattern long consonants with short ones rather than with bisegmental consonant clusters. This study provides an Optimality Theoretic analysis for dialectal epenthesis, and shows that the analysis predicts that monosegmental representation is the optimal way of representing long consonants in Finnish as well.

scholarly journals Sonority distance and similarity avoidance effects in Moroccan Judeo-Spanish

Linguistics ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (6) ◽  
pp. 1463-1511 ◽  
Author(s):  
Travis G. Bradley ◽  
Jacob J. Adams
Keyword(s):  
Fifteenth Century ◽  
Optimality Theory ◽  
Consonant Clusters ◽  
Full Account ◽  
Obligatory Contour Principle ◽  
Distance Effects ◽  
Identical Manner ◽  
Regional Dialect ◽  
Late Nineteenth ◽  
Late Fifteenth

Abstract This article investigates consonant gemination in late Nineteenth- and early Twentieth-century haketía, a now moribund, regional dialect of Judeo-Spanish spoken in northern Morocco since the late fifteenth century. Some, but not all, consonant clusters arising across a word boundary undergo regressive total assimilation, e.g. [n.n] siudad ninguna ‘no city’ but [z.n] laz niñas ‘the girls’. We present novel descriptive generalizations to show that regressive gemination is sensitive to the degree of sonority distance between the coda and the onset. Evidence of parasitic harmony comes from lateral+consonant clusters, which undergo gemination only if the target and trigger consonants are already similar in some respect. In the framework of Optimality Theory, we formalize syllable contact as a relational hierarchy of *Distance constraints and capture parasitic harmony effects by similarity avoidance, or Obligatory Contour Principle, constraints against adjacent consonants with identical manner and/or place features. These markedness constraints interact with other universal faithfulness and markedness constraints in a language-specific ranking that predicts the attested patterns of regressive gemination. This study lends further support to sonority distance effects and gradient syllable contact in phonological theory and shows that similarity avoidance is also necessary to give a full account of regressive gemination in Moroccan Judeo-Spanish.

scholarly journals Exceptional Arabic Diminutive Forms of Nouns with [aa]: An Optimality-Theoretic Analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 68
Author(s):  
Albatool Mohammed Abalkheel
Keyword(s):  
Optimality Theory ◽  
Theoretic Analysis ◽  
Syllable Weight ◽  
Morphological Processes ◽  
Arabic Dialects

Most diminutive forms in Arabic adhere in their derivation to certain simple phonological and morphological processes without any complications. However, there are exceptions to be found, including diminutive forms of nouns with [aa] in which the segment [w] surfaces. Using Optimality Theory (OT) as a framework and using syllable weight as a base of analysis, this study aims to provide an accurate explanation of such phenomena. This work will show that the root of words with [w] is not simply biconsonantal with an emphatic segment (i.e., [w]) inserted to fill the empty onset. Instead, the root is triconsonantal in which [w] is an essential segment. It also reveals that syllable-weight constraint is inviolable in Arabic dialects.

scholarly journals Some Characteristics of Syllable Structure in Qassimi Arabic (QA): An Optimality Theoretic Framework

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 193
Author(s):  
Metab Alhoody ◽  
Mohammad Aljutaily
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Central Region ◽  
Optimality Theory ◽  
Syllable Structure ◽  
Consonant Clusters ◽  
North Central Region ◽  
North Central ◽  
The North ◽  
Najdi Arabic

The paper investigates the syllable structures of Qassimi Arabic (QA), which is a sub-dialect of Najdi Arabic (NA) and is spoken in the north-central region of Saudi Arabia, particularly in the Qassim Region. Within the framework of Optimality Theory (OT), we show how the well-formed syllable is derived from the interaction of constraints. We show how the OT captures some of the major processes for structuring the syllables of QA, such as syncope, epenthesis, and geminate. The analysis revealed that onsetless syllables are prohibited in QA. The dialect allows word-initial consonant clusters, which is a result of the syncope process. Coda clusters also occur in QA that must obey the Sonority Sequencing Principle (SSP); otherwise, epenthesis presents to repair the violation. As for the geminates, QA permits geminates medially and finally, but not initially. The data revealed that QA demonstrates seven fundamental syllable structures grouped into three categories: light syllables, as in CV; heavy syllables, as in CVV and CVC; and super heavy syllables, as in CVVC, CVCC, CCVVC and CVVCC.

Initial geminations as non-actual surface forms in Qassimi Arabic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mufleh Salem M. Alqahtani
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Optimality Theory ◽  
The Other ◽  
Obligatory Contour Principle ◽  
Actual Surface ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Verb Forms ◽  
Glottal Stop

AbstractThis paper sheds light on the treatment of initial gemination in Qassimi Arabic (QA), a Najdi dialect spoken in the Al-Qassim region in central Saudi Arabia, within the framework of Parallelism, an Optimality Theory (OT) model. The study concludes that initial geminates, which are non-actual surface forms in QA, result from the assimilation of the prefix /t-/ to stem-initial consonants of Arabic verb forms II and III, as well as hollow verbs, to avoid violation of the Obligatory Contour Principle (OCP). On the other hand, initial semisyllables, as moraic consonants, originate from initial gemination and consequently motivate prosthesis; that is, the purpose of prosthesis is to affiliate a semisyllable to the syllable node without causing violation of the Strict Layer Hypothesis (SLH). Sequences of assimilation of prefix /t-/ plus prosthesis do not occur simultaneously, whereas regressive assimilation feeds the prosthetic vowel [i], which, in turn, feeds the prosthetic glottal stop [ʔ] to concur with the Onset Principle. These sequences thus indicate transparent rule interactions, that is, feeding. Parallel OT is then successfully utilized to account for this type of phonological derivation.

scholarly journals Sonority Sequencing Principle in Sabzevari Persian: A Constraint-Based Approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 434-465
Author(s):  
Mufleh Salem M. Alqahtani
Keyword(s):  
Optimality Theory ◽  
Syllable Structure ◽  
Consonant Clusters ◽  
Phonological Processes ◽  
Repair Strategy ◽  
Vowel Epenthesis ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Northeast Iran

AbstractThis study sheds light on the relationship between the Sonority Sequencing Principle (SSP) and syllable structure in Sabzevari, a Persian vernacular spoken in the Sabzevar area of Northeast Iran. Optimality Theory (OT), as a constraint-based approach, is utilized to scrutinize sonority violation and its repair strategies. The results suggest that obedience to the SSP is mandatory in Sabzevari, as shown through the treatment of word-final clusters in Standard Persian words which violate the SSP. These consonant clusters are avoided in Sabzevari by two phonological processes: vowel epenthesis and metathesis. Vowel epenthesis is motivated by final consonant clusters of the forms /fricative+coronal nasal/, /plosive+bilabial nasal/, /fricative+bilabial nasal/, /plosive+rhotic/, /fricative+rhotic/, and /plosive+lateral/. Metathesis, as another repair strategy for sonority sequencing violations, occurs when dealing with final consonant clusters of the forms /plosive+fricative/and / fricative+lateral/.

scholarly journals AN OT ACCOUNT OF PHONOTACTIC AND CODA NEUTRALIZATION OF ENGLISH LOANS IN PILIBHIT HINDI-URDU

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-30
Author(s):  
Mohd Hamid Raza
Keyword(s):  
Optimality Theory ◽  
Syllable Structure ◽  
Consonant Clusters ◽  
Basic Information ◽  
Central Idea ◽  
Phonological Processes ◽  
Surface Level ◽  
Final Syllable ◽  
Speech Segments ◽  
Optimal Candidate

This paper provided the basic information of the phonological processes as the Coda Neutralization and Phonotactics of English Loans in Pilibhit Hindi-Urdu within the framework of Optimality Theory (OT). The objectives of this paper were to represent the aspects of the coda neutralization in the sense of voiced obstruent segment becomes voiceless obstruent segment in the final syllable structure of the loanwords, and the consonant clusters break within the insertion of an extraneous segment in any location of the English Loans in Pilibhit Hindi-Urdu. In the another framework, this paper revealed the phenomena of devoicing features of coda consonants and the grades of the additional segments in Pilibhit Hindi-Urdu loanwords within the principles of Optimality Theory (Prince & Smolensky, 1993). The central idea of this paper was to explore the process of conflicts between the candidates at the surface level and reflects the properties of the input candidate by the observation of the constraint rankings. In this study, it was propounded the effective formalities of the hierarchy of the constraint rankings and drew one of the best candidates as an optimal candidate out of the output candidates from English loans in Pilibhit Hindi-Urdu. The groundwork of this paper was related to the significant aspects of the English loans that were adapted within the addition, insertion, or deletion of the segments in Pilibhit Hindi-Urdu. In this paper, it was also determined the facts of the coda devoicing of the speech segments in terms of neutralization at the end of the syllable structure of English loans in Pilibhit Hindi-Urdu.

scholarly journals Gemination in Bangla: An optimality Theoretic Analysis

1970 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Somdev Kar
Keyword(s):  
Optimality Theory ◽  
Argument Structure ◽  
Phonological Representation ◽  
Theoretic Analysis ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Lexical Items

This paper attempts to identify and analyze different types of gemination processes in Bangla. The focus is mainly on the phonological representation of sound combinations which forms a set of valid geminates in this language. I argue for three major types of gemination processes present in modern Bangla and a stratification strategy for the relavant lexical items based on their origin (SB, NB and OB, depending on the native vs. two type of borrowings). An analysis of these gemination processes are given in the framework of optimality theory (OT). Therefore, the constraint-based analysis of OT is organized in a threefold argument structure for each stratum. The conclusion is drawn towards an understanding of gemination processes of Bangla for different categories of lexical items and their phonological formuations.DOI: 10.3329/dujl.v1i2.3718 The Dhaka University Journal of Linguistics: Vol. 1 No.2 August, 2008 Page: 87-114

scholarly journals Strength-based faithfulness and the sibilant /s/ in Italian

2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-53
Author(s):  
Antonio Baroni
Keyword(s):  
Optimality Theory ◽  
Consonant Clusters ◽  
Underlying Representation ◽  
Strength Based ◽  
Casual Speech

Abstract Notwithstanding the primacy of the CV syllable, a number of languages allow for more complex types of syllables. In particular, word-initial consonant clusters are particularly challenging for any phonological theory. In this paper it is argued that obstruent clusters may be the result of casual speech processes where the most salient/ frequent phonemes and features occurring in most pronunciation variants of a word are preserved. As a result, sibilants, being acoustically salient, tend to occur more often than other obstruents as the first member of word-initial obstruent clusters. A framework couched in Optimality Theory is presented, where a subfamily of faithfulness constraints refer to strength values stored in the underlying representation. The more salient and/or frequent a phoneme/feature is, the higher the strength value assigned to it. Finally, a number of languages are compared, arguing that their phonotactic differences may be due to the different ranking of markedness constraints and MAX-STRENGTHVALUE constraints.

scholarly journals Optimality Theory in ESL Phonology: A Practice of Final Consonant Clusters from Vietnamese L1 Speakers

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-27
Author(s):  
Thong Vi Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Optimality Theory ◽  
Word List ◽  
Consonant Clusters ◽  
Esl Teachers ◽  
Esl Learners ◽  
Vietnamese Speakers

The present study aims to adopt the Optimality Theory to investigate the strategies of pronouncing the final consonant clusters in English by a group of Vietnamese L1 speakers. Vietnamese is a language without the final consonant clusters; therefore, Vietnamese ESL learners tend to have different strategies to pronounce those. Seven Vietnamese graduate students were employed to record their word-list out-loud reading. Each of the consonants occurring in their pronunciation production was considered as one token to be analyzed. The result shows that Vietnamese ESL learners employ five different strategies to generate the final consonant clusters. After that, by adopting the Optimality Theory, this study provides both faithfulness constraints and markedness constraints for each strategy with the attempt to generalize the cases of the final consonant pronunciation of Vietnamese speakers. This study is significant for ESL teachers to understand how the Vietnamese language affects the ESL learners’ final sound pronunciation

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