Base-Identity Effects in Some Morphophonemic Alternations in English

  • Published : 2002.06.01

Abstract

Within the framework of Generalized Sympathy (GS) (Jun 1999), this paper investigates the reasons why phonological rules such as Cluster Simplification, Closed Syllable ${\ae}$-Tensing, and Belfast Dentalization overapply or underapply in Class 2 affixed words in English. According to GS, a morphologically independent word can be treated as a derived word in that it is assumed to have any possible outputs as bases to resemble. As a result, a correspondence relation is triggered between a morphologically independent word being represented as Derived (D) and any possible outputs represented as Base (B), i.e., BD-Faith. In analyses of affixed words, BA-Faith is evoked, instead of BD-Faith. Furthermore, as Benua (1997) suggests, BA-Faith is classified into two correspondence relations; $BA_1$-Faith between Base and Class 1 affixed words, and $BA_2$-Faith between Base and Class 2 affixed words. When the $BA_1$-Faith takes precedence over phonological constraints three rules misapply in Class 2 affixed words. In other words, the misapplications are driven by base-identity effects.

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