Variation in the possessive allomorphy of Hungarian
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Péter Rácz
Abstract
Hungarian possessive allomorphy, and, in particular, the third person singular possessive (poss3sg), is a complex pattern influenced by phonological, morphological, and lexical factors. The most intricate one is phonological conditioning: while possessive suffixation shows categorical behavior in certain environments, it is subject to extensive variation in others. This paper looks at possessive variation in the 3sg and tries to account for its patterning, especially with stems ending in a consonant that is neither palatal nor sibilant, where variation is the most complex. We argue that the observed variation can be understood if one assumes that this particular function is formally underdetermined, and therefore is affected by a variety of influences, including the behavior of similar items in the language user’s lexicon.
Abstract
Hungarian possessive allomorphy, and, in particular, the third person singular possessive (poss3sg), is a complex pattern influenced by phonological, morphological, and lexical factors. The most intricate one is phonological conditioning: while possessive suffixation shows categorical behavior in certain environments, it is subject to extensive variation in others. This paper looks at possessive variation in the 3sg and tries to account for its patterning, especially with stems ending in a consonant that is neither palatal nor sibilant, where variation is the most complex. We argue that the observed variation can be understood if one assumes that this particular function is formally underdetermined, and therefore is affected by a variety of influences, including the behavior of similar items in the language user’s lexicon.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Foreword & acknowledgments vii
- Editors’ introduction ix
-
Part I. Regularity, irregularity, and analogy
- Arguments from Lovari loan-verb adaptation for an analogy-based analysis of verbal systems 3
- Possible and impossible variation in Hungarian 23
- Variation in the possessive allomorphy of Hungarian 51
- Revisiting exocentricity in compounding 65
- A constructionist account of the Modern Dutch adnominal genitive 83
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Part II. The role of frequency in morphological complexity, morphological change and language acquisition
- Perspectives on morphological complexity 107
- Morphological complexity and unsupervised learning 135
- A working typology of multiple exponence 163
- Linguistic self-regulation 189
- Suffix predictability and stem transparency in the acquisition of German noun plurals 217
- Acquisition of German diminutive formation and compounding in a comparative perspective 237
- Index 265
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Foreword & acknowledgments vii
- Editors’ introduction ix
-
Part I. Regularity, irregularity, and analogy
- Arguments from Lovari loan-verb adaptation for an analogy-based analysis of verbal systems 3
- Possible and impossible variation in Hungarian 23
- Variation in the possessive allomorphy of Hungarian 51
- Revisiting exocentricity in compounding 65
- A constructionist account of the Modern Dutch adnominal genitive 83
-
Part II. The role of frequency in morphological complexity, morphological change and language acquisition
- Perspectives on morphological complexity 107
- Morphological complexity and unsupervised learning 135
- A working typology of multiple exponence 163
- Linguistic self-regulation 189
- Suffix predictability and stem transparency in the acquisition of German noun plurals 217
- Acquisition of German diminutive formation and compounding in a comparative perspective 237
- Index 265
