Analyzing Sound Patterns An Introduction to Phonology

Introduction

In Chapters 10 and 11, we analyzed Ponapean vowel epenthesis – an alternation phenomenon – and showed that epenthesis is caused by the distributional restrictions on syllable structures such as the condition on coda, referred to as Coda-Filter. This filter can prevent a consonant from syllabifying as a coda if it differs in place from the following consonant. This chapter continues this theme by exploring the ramifications of Coda-Filter for three segmental processes in Diola-Fogny: nasal place assimilation, consonant deletion, and vowel epenthesis. These alternations appear to be unrelated to one another or to syllable structure requirements. We demonstrate that this is not the case. We show that there is a relation underlying them, a functional unity that can be traced to the syllable requirements in Diola-Fogny. This chapter highlights the concept of functional unity or “conspiracy” aka Kisseberth (1970). We present and contrast two analyses – one rule-based and one optimal-theoretic – to show how they handle phenomena that are functionally related.

This chapter has three key objectives. First, it develops your understanding of functional unity. We show that functional unity can manifest itself in different processes within one language or across languages. Second, it continues to develop your understanding of Optimality Theory (OT) by highlighting a second reason against the rule approach, its inability to express the functional unity of phonological processes within and across different languages. Related to the concept of functional unity is the idea of typology, a term linguists use to describe the crosslinguistic variations along some parameter. These two terms – functional unity and typology – will be explained later in the chapter. Third, this chapter strengthens your analytical ability. A significant component of critical and analytical thinking is the ability to identify relations between seemingly unrelated things, whether they are ideas, concepts, or processes. By introducing the three seemingly distinct processes in Diola-Fogny and by comparing them with Ponapean, we develop your capability to discern and express the hidden connections beneath what seem to be unrelated processes.