Phonological Alternations in 2C Codas in English: An Optimality Theoretical Analysis

• Main Authors: Wang Bei-wu, 王備五
• Other Authors: Chung Raung-fu
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2003
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/81678367612880311160

博士 === 國立高雄師範大學 === 英語學系 === 91 === ABSTRACT The dissertation aims to investigate the phonological alternations found in word-final double-consonant (2C coda) clusters in English. In phonological literature, there are six types of such alternations: A. Absence of /g/ in sign (vs. its presence in sig.nature) B. Absence of /g/ in long (vs. its presence in lon.ger) C. Absence of /b/ in iamb (vs. its presence in iam.bic) D. Absence of /n/ in autumn (vs. its presence in autum.nal) E. Schwa insertion as in pris[«]m (vs. pris.matic) F. Syllabicity change of /l/ as in bottle[ l `] These 2C coda alternations have been investigated by linguists in different theoretical frameworks, most notably in Lexical Phonology by Chomsky and Halle (1968), Halle and Mohanan (1985), Mohanan (1986), and in Prosodic Morphology by Borowsky (1986, 1989, 1993). They are examined in detail and shown to be inadequate models for an explanatory account for the phenomena. The dissertation presents an analysis in the Optimality Theoretical (OT) model. The purpose of the dissertation is two-fold: (1) To construct a unified OT solution to those alternations (segment deletion, syllabic consonants, and schwa insertion) in languages of the world in general and in English 2C codas in particular, and (2) To illustrate that OT enjoys the theoretical advantage of achieving generalizations not available in either Lexical Phonology or Prosodic Morphology. These generalizations include (i) the functional unity in phonological alternations, (ii) the economy principle in linguistic representations, and (iii) the feasibility of incorporating phonetics into phonological analysis.