| ROA: | 31 |
|---|---|
| Title: | Cyclic vs. Non-Cyclic Constraint Evaluation |
| Authors: | Michael Kenstowicz |
| Comment: | Revised Version |
| Length: | |
| Abstract: | Cyclic vs. Noncyclic Constraint Evaluation ROA-31 cyclic.ps Michael Kenstowicz (MIT) With the advent of Prince & Smolensky's (1993) Optimality Theory, whether levels/cycles intervene between the underlying and phonetic representations emerges as an issue. We raise the question in the context of metrical parsing. After reviewing the basic constraints for trochaic systems, we turn to Indonesian which has been argued by Cohn (1989, 1993) and Halle & Idsardi (1993b) to require a two-stage metrification applying to the stem and then to the stem plus suffixes. We demonstrate that alignment constraints between morphological and prosodic structure permit an equally plausible noncyclic analysis. We then show that OT easily formalizes the mysterious suspension of an otherwise general stress subordination in reduplication. The final section argues that the stress contours of Carib, Shanghai Chinese, and Polish do require an intermediate stage to integrate amonosyllabic particle with the base by minimal overwriting. While requiring two stages and thus resembling a derivation, we suggest that the motivation for and the actual mechanics of the reparsing are best treated as the product of constraint evaluation. |
| Type: | Paper/tech report |
| Area/Keywords: | |
| Article: | Version 1 |