| ROA: | 573 |
| Title: | Vowel Innovation in Arabic: Inductive Grounding and Pattern Symmetry |
| Authors: | Kimary Shahin |
| Comment: | prepared for J. Lecarme, J. Lowenstamm & U. Schlonsky (eds.) (2003), Research in Afroasiatic Grammar III (Sel. Papers, CAL , 2000). Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins. |
| Length: | 35 |
| Abstract: | This paper provides a functionalist explanation of current vowel innovation in colloquial Arabic, by which short epsilon is being innovated from /æ/, and /o/ from /u/. The former phoneme split seems due to pressure for greater perceptual distinction between /æ/ and /æ:/, and is explicable as the result of inductive grounding within OT (Hayes 1998). The /o/ results from imposition of inventory symmetry in reaction to the new epsilon, for a more learnable vowel system. An important contribution of this paper is its application of inductive grounding to paradigmatic phenomena. |
| Type: | Paper/tech report |
| Area/Keywords: | Phonology, Phonetics, Language Change |
| Article: | Version 1
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