| Abstract: | This paper addresses the topic of gender category assignment with the tools of optimality theory. Of particular interest are cases in which gender assignment conflicts arise, i.e. cases in which a noun is in the domain of conflicting gender assignment principles. It is argued here that OT provides the means for resolving such conflicts, especially through the use of a markedness hierarchy. However, it is also argued that features for gender assignment contribute equally, such that 'majority wins' effects can be seen. This is formalized by requiring the constraints refering to these principles to be crucially equally ranked, formalized here as constraint disjunction. In this way we provide an example of a formal option mentioned but not exemplified in Prince & Smolensky (1993). |
