| ROA: | 520 |
| Title: | Maximal words and the Maori passive |
| Authors: | Paul de Lacy |
| Comment: | In Andrea Rakowski and Norvin Richards (ed.) Proceedings of AFLA VIII. MIT Working Papers in Linguistics 44., pp.20-39. Excerpt in J. McCarthy (ed.) Optimality Theory in phonology: A reader. Blackwells. |
| Length: | 20 |
| Abstract: | Minimal Word restrictions - limits on the smallest possible size of a word - have been studied extensively. This article instead identifies a Maximal Word restriction: a limit on the largest possible size of a word. The Polynesian language Maori limits the size of a word to containing one foot and no unfootable sequences: words like [(paki)ta] and [ku(ri:)] are possible, but not CVCVCVCV or CVCVCV:. These limits are shown to follow from conditions on the form of Prosodic Words; restrictions on the PrWd-word relationship then effectively limit word size. Active synchronic alternations provide evidence for the Maximal Word restrictions: they condition the allomorphs of Maoris famous passive suffix. New generalizations about passive allomorphy are also identified. |
| Type: | Paper/tech report |
| Area/Keywords: | Phonology, Morphology |
| Article: | This article has been withdrawn. |
