Chapter 2. Contrast is irrelevant in phonology
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Charles Reiss
Abstract
Halle’s (1959) argument against a distinction between morphophonemic and phonemic rules can be understood as an argument against the relevance of contrast to phonology. After adducing further arguments against a role for contrast, the paper provides a simple contrast-free analysis of the classic problem of the voicing behavior of Russian /v/. This segment undergoes voicing assimilation (like other obstruents), but does not trigger it (thus acting like the sonorants). In contrast to a long history of treating /v/ as a covert sonorant, the paper attributes the behavior of Russian /v/, which surfaces always as an obstruent, to underspecification with respect to the feature Voice.
Abstract
Halle’s (1959) argument against a distinction between morphophonemic and phonemic rules can be understood as an argument against the relevance of contrast to phonology. After adducing further arguments against a role for contrast, the paper provides a simple contrast-free analysis of the classic problem of the voicing behavior of Russian /v/. This segment undergoes voicing assimilation (like other obstruents), but does not trigger it (thus acting like the sonorants). In contrast to a long history of treating /v/ as a covert sonorant, the paper attributes the behavior of Russian /v/, which surfaces always as an obstruent, to underspecification with respect to the feature Voice.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgments vii
- Introduction ix
- Chapter 1. Markedness in substance-free and substance-dependent phonology 1
- Chapter 2. Contrast is irrelevant in phonology 23
- Chapter 3. What are grammars made of? 47
- Chapter 4. Consonant epenthesis and markedness 69
- Chapter 5. On silent markedness 101
- Chapter 6. The phonetic salience of phonological head-dependent structure in a modulated-carrier model of speech 121
- Chapter 7. Markedness and formalising phonological representations 153
- Chapter 8. Are there brain bases for phonological markedness? 191
- Chapter 9. There is no place for markedness in biologically-informed phonology 219
- Index 233
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgments vii
- Introduction ix
- Chapter 1. Markedness in substance-free and substance-dependent phonology 1
- Chapter 2. Contrast is irrelevant in phonology 23
- Chapter 3. What are grammars made of? 47
- Chapter 4. Consonant epenthesis and markedness 69
- Chapter 5. On silent markedness 101
- Chapter 6. The phonetic salience of phonological head-dependent structure in a modulated-carrier model of speech 121
- Chapter 7. Markedness and formalising phonological representations 153
- Chapter 8. Are there brain bases for phonological markedness? 191
- Chapter 9. There is no place for markedness in biologically-informed phonology 219
- Index 233
