Transcript Even more Optimality Theory

English Plurals

FAITH (voi): Voicing must be same in input and output

FAITHV:

*[+strident][+strident]: No two adjacent stridents allowed

SHARE (voi): Adjacent consonants must have same voicing

SHARE (voi), *[+strident][+strident] >> FAITHV, FAITH (voi)
bush[z]
bush[z]
Vowels in input and output must be identical
SHARE (voi)
*[+strident][+st
rident]
*!
*
bush[s]
*!
>bush[ɨz]
cat[z]
FAITHV
*
*
*!
>cat[s]
cat[ɨz]
FAITH(voi)
*
*!
English Plurals

FAITH (voi): Voicing must be same in input and output

FAITHV:

*[+strident][+strident]: No two adjacent stridents allowed

SHARE (voi): Adjacent consonants must have same voicing

Vowels in input and output must be identical
*[+strident][+strident] >> SHARE (voi) >> FAITHV, FAITH (voi) (Same outcome so they are not at different
ranking
bush[z]
*[+strident][+st
rident]
SHARE (voi)
bush[z]
*!
*
bush[s]
*!
*
*!
>cat[s]
cat[ɨz]
FAITH(voi)
*
>bush[ɨz]
cat[z]
FAITHV
*
*!
English Plurals

FAITH (voi): Voicing must be same in input and output

FAITHV:

*[+strident][+strident]: No two adjacent stridents allowed

SHARE (voi): Adjacent consonants must have same voicing

Vowels in input and output must be identical
*[+strident][+strident] >> SHARE (voi) >> FAITHV, FAITH (voi) (Same outcome so they are not at different
ranking
bush[z]
*[+strident][+st
rident]
SHARE (voi)
bush[z]
*!
*
bush[s]
*!
*
*!
>cat[s]
cat[ɨz]
FAITH(voi)
*
>bush[ɨz]
cat[z]
FAITHV
*
*!
English Plurals

FAITH (voi): Voicing must be same in input and output

FAITHV:

*[+strident][+strident]: No two adjacent stridents allowed

SHARE (voi): Adjacent consonants must have same voicing

SHARE (voi), *[+strident][+strident] >> FAITH (voi) >> FAITHV so the two are really unranked
Vowels in input and output must be identical
bush[z]
bush[z]
SHARE (voi)
*[+strident][+st
rident]
*!
*
bush[s]
*!
FAITH (voi)
*
>bush[ɨz]
cat[z]
cat[s] wrong
> cat[ɨz]
FAITHV
*
*!
*!
*
OT
This is what happens when Sinhalese borrows
Dutch words

OT
This is what happens when Sinhalese borrows
Dutch words
How can we account for it in OT?

OT
Let's focus on plan > palana
 Constraints
 *COMPLEX ONSET (no complex onsets allowed)
 FAITH V (input and output must have same vowels)
 FAITHC (input and output must have same consonants)
 What is the constraint ranking?

plan
pan
palana
Input: plan
OT
Let's focus on plan > palana
 Constraints
 *COMPLEX ONSET (no complex onsets allowed)
 FAITH V (input and output must have same vowels)
 FAITHC (input and output must have same consonants)
 What is the constraint ranking?

plan
*!
pan
palana
Input: plan
*!
*COMPLEX
ONSET
FAITHC
*
FAITHV
Rules vs. Constraints

Rule


Constraint


C > ∅ / #____
*#CC
Aren't they just saying the same thing?
Types of constraints

Markedness constraints

Languages prefer forms that are:



simple
easy to pronounce
common
Types of constraints

Markedness constraints

Examples of markedness


All language have voiceless obstruents (unmarked
Not all have voiced obstruents (marked)
Types of constraints

Markedness constraints

Examples of markedness




All language have voiceless obstruents (unmarked
Not all have voiced obstruents (marked)
All languages have front unround vowels (unmarked)
Only some languages have front round vowels (marked)
Types of constraints

Markedness constraints

Examples of markedness






All language have voiceless obstruents (unmarked
Not all have voiced obstruents (marked)
All languages have front unround vowels (unmarked)
Only some languages have front round vowels (marked)
All languages have C initial words (unmarked)
Only some have V initial words
Types of constraints

Markedness constraints

Constraints that impose restrictions on surface
forms



obstruents must be voiceless
no front round vowels
no nasal vowels
Types of constraints

Markedness constraints


If there were only markedness constraints there
would be no marked structures (e.g. front round
vowels)
They refer only to the output, not the input
Types of constraints

Markedness constraints


If there were only markedness constraints there
would be no marked structures (e.g. front round
vowels)
Faithfulness constraints offset the effects of
markedness constraints
Types of constraints

Faithfulness constraints

Prefer no change from input to output

Refer to the input and output

Examples:



Don't change nasality
Don't insert vowels or consonants
Don't delete
Tibetan numbers

Word initial C is deleted before a C

*COMPLEX ONSET
Tibetan numbers

Word initial C is deleted before a C

Markedness constraint: *COMPLEX ONSET

Faithfulness constraint: FAITH (don't change)
Faithfulness constraints

Consider these three constraints



*COMPLEX ONSET
MAX: Maximality. Everything in input must be in
output-no deletion
DEP: Dependence. Everything in output must be in
input too-no epenthesis