Full Description
Based on 30 years of research, this book presents a theory about the 'speech sounds' that occur in human spoken and signed languages. Identifying the ultimate elements of which speech sounds consist, Harry van der Hulst proposes a radical theory that recognises only two elements: |C| and |V|. Based on a small set of first principles, the book explains what a possible speech sound is and provides explicit structures for all speech sounds that occur in the world's languages. With numerous examples from hundreds of languages, including Dutch, Czech, Japanese, Kabardian, Hungarian, Korean and Zulu, the book also provides insight into current theories of segmental structure, commonly used feature systems and recurrent controversies.
Contents
Preface; List of abbreviations
Chapter 1. Basic assumptions about phonology
1.1 Introduction
1.2 What is phonology?
1.3 Six theses concerning phonological primes
1.4 Is phonology different?
1.5 Alternations and processes
1.6 Summary and concluding remarks
Chapter 2: Background: Dependency and Government Phonology
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Monovalency, grouping, dependency and contrastivity
2.3 Government Phonology
2.4 Toward Radical CV Phonology
2.5 Summary and Concluding remarks
Chapter 3: Radical CV Phonology
3.1 Introduction
3.2 An outline of Radical CV Phonology
3.3 Summary and Concluding remarks
Chapter 4: Manner
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Onset
4.3 Rhyme
4.4 Syllabic consonants (sonorants)
4.5 Long vowels, diphthongs and geminates
4.6 Summary and concluding remarks
Chapter 5: Place
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Edge (onset head): obstruents
5.3 Nucleus (rhyme head): vowels
5.4 Bridge and coda
5.5 Summary and concluding remarks
Chapter 6: Laryngeal: phonation and tone
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Edge (onset head): consonants (phonation)
6.3 Nucleus (rhyme head): vowels (tone)
6.4 Four issues
6.5 Bridge and coda
6.6 Summary and concluding remarks
Chapter 7: Special structures
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Incomplete structures
7.3 Overcomplete structures
7.4 Summary and Concluding remarks
Chapter 8: Predictability and preference
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Harmony
8.3 Preference ranking of segments per syllabic position
8.4 Preferred segmental systems
8.5 Summary and Concluding remarks
Chapter 9: Minimal specification
9.1 Introduction
9.2 A typology of redundant properties
9.3 Radical underspecification
9.4 Contrastive and radical underspecification in a unary framework
9.5 Markedness, complexity and salience
9.6 Examples of minimal specification
9.7 Can redundant elements become active?
9.8 Constraints and learnability
9.9 Summary and Conclusions
Chapter 10: RcvP applied to sign phonology
10.1 Introduction
10.2 The macro structure of signs
10.3 The micro structure of signs
10.4 Two-handed signs
10.5 What about syllable structure?
10.6 Summary and Concluding remarks
Chapter 11: Comparison to other models
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Feature Geometry Models
11.3 Other models
11.4 Summary and Concluding remarks
Chapter 12: Conclusions
12.1 Introduction
12.2 Goals and basic principles
12.3 X-bar structure everywhere
12.4 Strength and weakness
12.5 Do we need the element A after all?
12.6 What's next?
References; Subject Index; Language Index
