The Emergence of the Unmarked: Optimality in Prosodic Morphology

John J. McCarthy · Alan Prince

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Phonetics and Phonology Research Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation Linguistics and language evolution

Abstract

This paper identifies and illustrates a key consequence of Optimality Theory called 'emergence of the unmarked'. In OT, a constraint can be active even if it is crucially dominated. A low-ranking markedness constraint, then, can decide between candidates, as long as they tie on all higher-ranking constraints. The linguistic structure that is unmarked with respect to this constraint can emerge in such circumstances.This notion is applied to a core problem in the theory of Prosodic Morphology, that of defining templates. The frequently encountered minimal-word template is shown to emerge from markedness constraints on prosodic structure. (Also see ROA-59, ROA-216, and ROA-236.)

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References

1995Metrical Stress Theory: Principles and Case Studies 1986On derived domains in sentence phonology 1989Compensatory Lengthening in Moraic Phonology 1992Autosegmental and metrical phonology . By John A. Goldsmith Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1990. Pp. 376. Cloth $60.00, paper $19.95.1984Patterns of sounds 1988Japanese Tone Structure 1994Bare phrase structure 2001Prosodic Morphology: Constraint Interaction and Satisfaction

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