This book examines these diverse segmental asymmetries, using Optimality Theory, a constraint-based approach to generative grammar, as an analytic tool. After introducing the notion of positional privilege, the author presents a series of case studies in which positional faithfulness constraints play a key role. These include coda devoicing, place assimilation, unstressed vowel reduction, nasal harmony and vowel harmony.
This book examines these diverse segmental asymmetries, using Optimality Theory, a constraint-based approach to generative grammar, as an analytic too...