| ROA: | 238 |
|---|---|
| Title: | An Optimality Theoretic Approach to Navajo Prefixal Syllables |
| Authors: | Amy V. Fountain |
| Comment: | U. of Arizona dissertation. Front matter, 6 chapters, and references in 8 files |
| Length: | 314 |
| Abstract: | An Optimality Theoretic Approach to Navajo Prefixal Syllables Amy V. Fountain University of Arizona Navajo is a Southern Athapaskan language spoken by approximately 160,000 people in Arizona and New Mexico. This dissertation examines the syllable structure alternations in the prefixes of the Navajo verb. Specifically, the distribution of open and closed syllables in the verbal prefixes are at issue. This distribution is seen to follow from the interaction of constraints on phonological well- formedness including Markedness, Faithfulness and Alignment constraints, under Optimality Theory. The dissertation makes the following empirical and theoretical points. Empirically, the analysis is based on a description of the surface forms of the Navajo verb, without recourse to diachronic or comparative data. In this respect, the analysis is in line with the kind of reasoning that would have to be undertaken by the language-learner, and which must form some part of the phonological knowledge of native speakers of this language. Furthermore, the analysis is undertaken without reference to the specialized terminology which permeates linguistic analyses of Navajo in particular, and of the language family in general. Thus the description and analysis of the data are presented in such a way that a non-specialist in the language family might understand the data and analysis. Theoretically the analysis shows the utility of Optimality Theory in dealing with the complex interactions between morphology and phonology that characterize this language. It is demonstrated that the interaction of cross-linguistically motivated constraints on well- formedness results in the attested surface patterns. It is further argued that this analysis fills out a typological prediction of Optimality Theory by attesting one of the possible rankings of Markedness, Faithfulness and Alignment constraints. The basics of Navajo syllable structure, and of Optimality Theory are presented first, followed by a discussion of the fundamental morphological and phonological properties of the system. A set of Navajo verbal paradigms is then analyzed and input forms of the morphemes which participate in syllable structure alternations are derived. The Optimality Theoretic analysis is presented, and the dissertation concludes with a discussion of the issues raised, and of a set of alternative analyses of the same data. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT 10 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.0 Introduction 12 1.0.1 The Theoretical Goals of the Dissertation 15 1.0.2 The Empirical Goals of the Dissertation 18 1.1 Introduction to Syllable Theory 21 1.1.1 Phonemic Inventory 21 1.1.2 Syllable Theory 27 1.1.2.1 Defining the Syllable 27 1.1.2.2 Evidence for the Syllable 28 1.1.2.2.1 Consonant Restrictions 28 1.1.2.2.2 Vowel Restrictions 35 1.2 Introduction to Optimality Theory 38 1.2.1 The Basics of Optimality Theory 38 1.2.2 The Constraints 41 1.2.2.1 Markedness Constraints 41 1.2.2.2 Alignment Constraints 44 1.2.2.3 Faithfulness Constraints 49 1.2.2.3.1 Correspondence Theory 50 1.2.2.3.2 Input-Output Correspondence 54 1.2.3 Summary of Optimality Theory 55 1.3 The Factorial Typology Revisited 56 1.4 Summary and Preview 64 CHAPTER 2: INTRODUCTION TO NAVAJO 2.0 Introduction 66 2.1 A Short Description of the Navajo Language Situation 66 2.1.1 Historically 66 2.1.2 Currently 68 2.2 Some Introductory notes about Navajo Phonology 69 2.2.1 Strident Harmony 69 2.2.2 Stem-Initial Voicing and Devoicing 73 2.2.3 Stem-Initial Affrication, Voicing and Consonant Mutation 74 2.3 Clitics versus Prefixes in Navajo Morphology 77 2.3.1 Stems 77 2.3.2 Prefixes 81 2.3.2.1 The Shapes of the Prefixes 82 2.3.2.2 The Behavior of Tone 92 2.3.2.3. The Behavior of [Strident] Segments 95 2.3.3 Summary of the Arguments 98 2.4 Review and Summary 99 CHAPTER 3: MOTIVATING THE INPUT FORMS OF THE NAVAJO PREFIXES 3.0 Introduction 101 3.0.1 The Categories 102 3.0.2 The Strategy 107 3.1 The Prefixes 109 3.1.1 The Classifier Prefixes 109 3.1.1.1 The Semantics of the Classifiers 110 3.1.1.2 The Distribution of the Lateral Classifiers 112 3.1.2 The Tense, Mode and Conjugation Prefixes 120 3.1.2.1 The Tense Prefix: Future Tense 120 3.1.2.2 The Mode Prefix: Optative Mode 123 3.1.2.3 The Conjugation Prefix: Si-Conjugation 125 3.1.3 The Person Prefixes 131 3.1.3.1 The Definite Person Prefixes 132 3.1.3.1.1 First Person 132 3.1.3.1.1.1 First Person Subject 132 3.1.3.1.1.2 First Person Object 137 3.1.3.1.1.3 Summary 142 3.1.3.1.2 Second Person 143 3.1.3.1.2.1 Second Person Subject 143 3.1.3.1.2.2 Second Person Object 148 3.1.3.1.2.3 Summary 152 3.1.3.1.3 Third Person 152 3.1.3.1.3.1 Third Person Subject 152 3.1.3.1.3.2 Third Person Object 163 3.1.3.1.3.3 Summary 168 3.1.3.2 The Obviative Person Prefixes 169 3.1.3.2.1 Third Person Indefinite 170 3.1.3.2.1.1 Third Person Indefinite Subject 170 3.1.3.2.1.2 Third Person Indefinite Object 172 3.1.3.2.1.3 Summary 174 3.1.3.2.2 Fourth Person 175 3.1.3.2.2.1 Fourth Person Subject 175 3.1.3.2.2.2 Fourth Person Object 177 3.1.3.2.2.3 Summary 178 3.1.3.3 Summary of the Person Prefixes 179 3.2 A Complete View of the Linear Ordering of the Prefixes 181 3.3 A Note About Allomorphy 187 3.4 Conclusion 190 CHAPTER 4: PRESTEM CLOSED SYLLABLES IN THE NAVAJO PREFIXES 4.0 Introduction 194 4.1 The Alternations 194 4.1.1 Non-Alternating Prefixes 195 4.1.2 Vocalic Prefix: V ~ CV 196 4.1.3 Classifiers: C ~ Ø 197 4.1.4 Person and Conjugation Prefixes: C ~ CV 199 4.1.5 Third Person Prefix: C ~ CV ~ V 201 4.1.6 Summary 202 4.2 The Analysis 203 4.2.1 Introduction 206 4.2.2 Vocalic Prefixes: V ~ CV 209 4.2.2.1 Syllable Edges and Epenthesis 211 4.2.2.2 Verb Binarity and Epenthesis 213 4.2.3 Consonantal Prefixes: Alignment and Faithfulness 216 4.2.3.1 The Classifiers 217 4.2.3.2 Classifiers and the S-Prefixes 220 4.2.3.2 Apparent Exceptions 230 4.3 Summary 238 CHAPTER 5: CLOSED SYLLABLES IN THE NAVAJO PREFIX SPAN 5.0 Introduction 240 5.1 Closed Syllables in the Navajo Prefix Span 242 5.1.1 Motivating NoCoda in Navajo 242 5.1.2 NoCoda in the Hierarchy 245 5.1.3 Summary 252 5.2 The Obviative Person Prefixes: Codas Outside of the Prestem Syllable 253 5.2.1 NoCoda and the Obviative Third Person Prefixes 253 5.2.2 An Analysis of the Obviative Person Markers 255 5.2.2.1 Obviatives as Onsets 257 5.2.2.2 Obviatives as Codas 259 5.2.3 Summary of the Hierarchy 266 5.2.4 Categorical and Gradient Alignment 267 5.3 Summary and Conclusions 272 CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION AND DIRECTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH 6.0 Introduction 275 6.1 General Alternatives 276 6.1.1 A Deletion Alternative 277 6.1.2 A Positional Alternative 280 6.1.3 A Syllabic Affiliation Alternative 283 6.2 An Alternative Without Phonological Input 287 6.2.1 Morpheme Constraints in Nishga 288 6.2.2 Morpheme Constraints in Navajo 292 6.2.2.1 Blocking of Classifiers by /s/: 293 6.2.2.2 Non-Coalescence of Identical Prefixes in Navajo 297 6.3 Input Forms and the Athapaskanist Literature 300 6.3.1 Young and Morgan (1951, 1987, 1992) 301 6.3.2 Kari (1973) 306 6.3.3 McDonough (1990) 308 6.4 Future Research 311 REFERENCES 314 |
| Type: | Dissertation |
| Area/Keywords: | |
| Article: | Version 1 |