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Explaining sonority projection effects*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 July 2011

Robert Daland ,
Bruce Hayes ,
James White ,
Marc Garellek ,
Andrea Davis  and
Ingrid Norrmann
Robert Daland
Affiliation:
University of California, Los Angeles
Bruce Hayes
Affiliation:
University of California, Los Angeles
James White
Affiliation:
University of California, Los Angeles
Marc Garellek
Affiliation:
University of California, Los Angeles
Andrea Davis
Affiliation:
University of Arizona
Ingrid Norrmann
Affiliation:
University of California, Los Angeles
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Abstract

The term sonority projection refers to behavioural distinctions speakers make between unattested phonological sequences on the basis of sonority. For example, among onset clusters, the well-formedness relation [bn]>[lb] is observed in speech perception, speech production and non-word acceptability (Davidson 2006, 2007, Berent et al. 2007, Albright, ms). We begin by replicating the sonority projection effects in a non-word acceptability study. Then we evaluate the extent to which sonority projection is predicted by existing computational models of phonotactics (Coleman & Pierrehumbert 1997, Hayes & Wilson 2008, inter alia). We show that a model based only on lexical statistics can explain sonority projection in English without a pre-existing sonority sequencing principle. To do this, a model must possess (i) a featural system supporting sonority-based generalisations, and (ii) a context representation including syllabification or equivalent information.

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Articles
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Phonology , Volume 28 , Issue 2 , August 2011 , pp. 197 - 234
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Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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