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Optimizing Structure: The Case of the Op g S uc u e e Case o e CCV Syllable of Akan Charles Marfo < cmarfo@gmail com> < cmarfo@gmail.com> Dept. of Modern Languages KNUST 1. Introduction The issue: Does Akan

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Optimizing Structure: The Case of the Op g S uc u e e Case o e ‘CCV’ Syllable of Akan

Charles Marfo

< cmarfo@gmail com> < cmarfo@gmail.com>

  • Dept. of Modern Languages

KNUST

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  • 1. Introduction

The issue:

Does Akan have ‘CCV’ structure; a Does Akan have CCV structure; a syllable with a consonant cluster, only represented as ‘CrV? (cf e g Kaye represented as CrV? (cf. e.g. Kaye 1985; Pilote 1982; )

Th l i The claim:

Yes, but only as a phonetic form. , y p ‘CrV’ has however found its way in the phonology of the language.

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phonology of the language.

ACAL 41, May 6-8, U/ Toronto

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  • 1. Introduction

The gist of argument:

‘CrV’ is in the language only/ primarily CrV is in the language only/ primarily as a phonetic form. This is due to economy of speech; a This is due to economy of speech; a syllable reduction and its incorporation into another; ‘CV.rV’ → ‘CrV’ ;

Theory of analysis:

Optimality theory (OT) (e g Kager Optimality theory (OT) (e.g., Kager 1999; Prince & Smolensky 1993);

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  • 2. The ‘CCV’ structure

As noted earlier, in Akan, ‘CCV’ is

  • nly represented in the form of ‘CrV’
  • nly represented in the form of CrV

(1) CrV n.tr

‘a lie’ pre.bu.o ‘nest’ p .sr ‘type of weed’ b ‘lif ’ .bra ‘life’ n.kru.ma ‘okro’

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2.1 Realizing ‘CrV’

In an underlying string of ‘CV1.CV2’, there occurs vowel elision in ‘CV1’ there occurs vowel elision in CV1 . This vowel elision results in a ed ction in ‘CV ’ (C ) hich is then reduction in ‘CV1’ (C_), which is then incorporated into CV2, hence ‘CCV. But for these to occur:

The consonant in ‘CV2’ must be the sonorant, / r/ . The vowel in ‘CV1’ is phonetically specific.

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The vowel in CV1 is phonetically specific.

ACAL 41, May 6-8, U/ Toronto

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2.2 Phonetic ‘CrV’: Evidence

  • 1. ‘CV.rV’ structures in the phonology

(or orthography) are also phoneti- (or orthography) are also phoneti- cally realized as ‘CrV’; e.g.

(2) CV CV C V (2) CV.CV → CrV

ku.ro [ kr.o]

‘town’

kye.r [ tr.] ‘to teach’ 2 L l ti i thi

  • 2. Language relation; in this case,

between Akan and Nzema

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2.2 Phonetic ‘CrV’: Evidence

(3) Nzema Akan

tnlabel tenabr ‘abode’ tnlabel tenabr abode zolo sro ‘above’ bla bra ‘to come’ sl sr ‘to beg’ sl sr to beg fili fri ‘to credit’ buluwu bruu ‘blue’

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  • 3. Constraining ‘CrV’

With the current data, two marked- ness constraints immediately ness constraints immediately conspire to evolve ‘CrV’: i.e. No Complex Onset (‘* [ CC’) and No Complex Onset ( * [ σCC ) and Complex-by-Sonorance (‘* V[ σr’).

* [ CC A ll bl t t h * [ σCC: A syllable must not have a complex onset. * V[ A l b f t * V[ σr: A vowel before a sonorant- initial syllable is bad.

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  • 3. Constraining ‘CrV’

‘* V[ σr’ must outrank ‘* [ σCC’ if we are to optimized the desired are to optimized the desired phonetic form of ‘CrV’ (as against ‘CV V’) ‘CV.rV’).

Note that ‘CrV’ is the desired economy- driven structure (candidate).

h k * [ *[ h The ranking *V[σr » *[σCC is thus immediately crucial to our analysis.

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y y

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3.1 Tableaux I: *V[σr » *[σCC

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  • 4. Other information @ play

The occurrence of the sonorant / r/ as onset of CV2 (in ‘CV CV’) is as onset of CV2 (in CV.CV ) is paramount in the realization of the h ti f ‘C V’ phonetic form ‘CrV’. So, where any other consonant is , y the onset, ‘CCV’ is not realized …

  • and ‘CV CV’ remains as the

… and CV.CV remains as the phonetic form.

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  • 4. Other information @ play

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  • 4. Other information @ play

Two other pieces of information become relevant to the analysis: become relevant to the analysis:

Vowel Harmony and Vowel Height.

That is, to realize ‘CrV’,

  • 1. ATR harmony should be attained betw-
  • 1. ATR harmony should be attained betw

een vowels in the syllables concerned. 2 The vowel in CV1– i e the vowel to

  • 2. The vowel in CV1– i.e. the vowel to

elide – must have the specification [ + high]

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[ + high] .

ACAL 41, May 6-8, U/ Toronto

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4.1 Vowel (ATR) Harmony

Observe ATR harmony and ‘CrV’ realization: realization:

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4.1 Vowel (ATR) Harmony

If harmony is violated, ‘CV.rV’ remains as the phonetic form remains as the phonetic form.

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4.1 Vowel (ATR) Harmony

But, why is ‘CV.rV’ still the phonetic form in the ff data despite / r/ in form in the ff. data, despite / r/ in ‘CV2’ and ATR harmony satisfaction f t t li ‘C V’? as factors to realize ‘CrV’?

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4.2 Vowel Height

Notice that the vowels in CV1 are all [ -H] (with regard to vowel height) [ -H] (with regard to vowel height).

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4.2 Vowel Height

Where the vowel in CV1 is [ + H] , it elides elides.

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  • 5. Further Constraining

With the additional pieces of information the present information, the present constraints and their ranking are t h t t f th t not enough to account for the two phonetic forms of ‘CrV’ and ‘CV.rV’. That is, they could evolve ill- formed candidates as the optimal formed candidates as the optimal

  • nes. (see Tableaux II & III)

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5.1 Tableaux II: *V[σr » *[σCC

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5.2 Tableaux III: *[σCC»*V[σr

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5.3 Other constraints

Thus, the additional information need to be factored in the need to be factored in the motivation of constraints. They are constrained as follows: They are constrained as follows:

IDENT-IO[ATR]: ATR specifications in th t t t b id ti l t th the output must be identical to those in the input. Parse V[–H]σ[r: Pre-sonorant vowel should be parsed as [ –H] .

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5.3 Other constraints

ATR harmony as a constraint:

Candidate (b) is properly evolved.

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( ) p p y

ACAL 41, May 6-8, U/ Toronto

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5.3 Other constraints

Vowel height as a constraint:

Candidate (b) is properly evolved. ( ) p p y

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  • 6. Conclusion

The ‘CrV’ syllable structure is only a phonetic form (of an underlying phonetic form (of an underlying structure); Thus, it should be phonologically discussed into two separate p syllables. It is realized when certain phonetic It is realized when certain phonetic conditions are present.

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