John J. McCarthy Copyright (c) 2011 All rights reserved. http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy Recent documents in John J. McCarthy en-us Sat, 26 Nov 2011 17:09:31 PST 3600 Harmonic Serialism Supplement to Doing Optimality Theory http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/108 http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/108 Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:57:36 PDT This document consists of about 30 pages of text to supplement Doing Optimality Theory (Blackwell, 2008).

]]> John J. McCarthy 2010 Implications of Harmonic Serialism for lexical tone association http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/107 http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/107 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:52:09 PDT In some languages, notably Kikuyu, the association of tones and syllables is completely predictable. In this paper, we show that a derivational version of Optimality Theory, Harmonic Serialism, cannot account for Kikuyu if underlying representations include preassociated tones. If richness of the base is to be maintained, then underlying representations can contain associated tones in no language, even a language with contrastive tone association. This leads to a discussion of alternative ways of lexically encoding these contrasts, such as sequences of identical tones and diacritic accents.

]]> John J. McCarthy et al. 2010 Agreement By Correspondence Without Corr Constraints http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/106 http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/106 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:38:27 PDT Agreement by correspondence (ABC) is a theory of long-distance assimilation processes proposed in recent work by Hansson and Rose & Walker. This paper presents a refinement of the ABC framework, eliminating the need for Corr constraints, which require correspondence between similar segments.

]]> John J. McCarthy 2010 Copying prosodic constituents http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/105 http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/105 Fri, 11 Jun 2010 05:23:15 PDT The weight of a syllable-sized reduplicant is never dependent on the syllabification of the base -- that is, no language has a reduplicative morpheme that copies a coda in [pat-pat.ka] but no coda in [pa-pa.ta]. Yet this behavior is attested in the second syllable of foot-sized reduplicants: [pa.ta-pa.ta.ka], [pa.tak-pa.tak.ta]. Why is dependence on base syllabification possible in foot-sized reduplicants, but not in syllable-sized ones?

This article provides an answer to that question in the form of a novel theory of reduplication called Serial Template Satisfaction (STS), which is situated within Harmonic Serialism (a derivational variant of Optimality Theory). In STS, a reduplicative template of type X can be filled by copying constituents of type X-1 from the base. A foot-sized reduplicant can be filled by copying syllables, but not a syllable-sized reduplicant, which must be filled by copying segments. Lacking base-reduplicant correspondence constraints, STS has no way of forcing segment copying to depend on base syllabification, so it cannot produce the unattested pattern.

This article also fleshes out STS as a general theory of reduplication that can be compared to other approaches in Optimality Theory and rule-based phonology. Phenomena discussed include reduplicant size, locality, and identity of base and reduplicant.

]]> John J. McCarthy et al. 2010 Perceptually grounded faithfulness in Harmonic Serialism http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/104 http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/104 Wed, 09 Jun 2010 08:16:20 PDT Supresedes "The p-map in Harmonic Serialism"

]]> John J. McCarthy 2010 An introduction to Harmonic Serialism http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/103 http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/103 Mon, 03 May 2010 13:15:18 PDT John J. McCarthy 2010 Classified Bibliography of Works on OT with Candidate Chains (OT-CC) and Harmonic Serialism (HS) http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/102 http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/102 Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:07:08 PST John J. McCarthy 2009 The P-Map in Harmonic Serialism http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/101 http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/101 Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:48:46 PDT According to the P-Map, a phonological mapping is less faithful to the extent that there is more perceptual distance between its input and output. Although this idea is attractive, it cannot be implemented in the standard parallel version of Optimality Theory. This note explains why and shows how a derivational version of OT, Harmonic Serialism, can solve this problem.

]]> John J. McCarthy 2009 Autosegmental spreading in Optimality Theory http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/100 http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/100 Tue, 18 Aug 2009 10:31:03 PDT Revised December 2009

This paper is a shorter (and probably better) version of "Harmony in Harmonic Serialism." Like its big brother, it argues that Harmonic Serialism answers the conundrum of how iterative autosegmental spreading is obtained in Optimality Theory.

]]> John J. McCarthy 2009 2011 Comparative markedness (long version) http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/99 http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/99 Mon, 13 Jul 2009 07:04:27 PDT The markedness constraints of classic Optimality Theory assign violation-marks to output candidates without reference to the input or to other candidates. This paper explores an alternative conception of markedness that is comparative: markedness constraints compare the candidate under evaluation with another candidate, the most faithful one. Comparative constraints distinguish two situations: the candidate under evaluation contains an instance of a marked structure that is also present in the fully-faithful candidate; or the candidate under evaluation contains an instance of a marked structure that is not present in the fully faithful candidate. The empirical consequences of comparative markedness are explored, including grandfather effects (i.e., blocking by emergent markedness constraints), derived environment effects, non-iterating processes, coalescence paradoxes, and counterfeeding opacity. Theoretical questions concerning harmonic ascent and other topics will also be discussed. Comparative markedness is found to have some advantages and some disadvantages in comparison with classic OT and alternatives like local conjunction, stratal OT, sympathy, and targeted constraints.

]]> John J. McCarthy 2002 Nonlinear phonology http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/98 http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/98 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 06:05:17 PDT John J. McCarthy 2001 Short review of A. A. al-Nassir (1993) Sibawayh the Phonologist: A Critical Study of the Phonetic and Phonological Theory of Sibawayh as Presented in His Treatise Al-Kitab http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/97 http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/97 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 06:03:12 PDT John J. McCarthy 1995 Hidden Generalizations: Phonological Opacity in Optimality Theory http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/96 http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/96 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:33:24 PDT Hidden Generalizations is the first monograph devoted exclusively to the problem of phonological opacity. Opacity arises when the conditions for or results of an active phonological process are not evident in the speech signal. Opacity is particularly important in Optimality Theory, which lacks the standard means of analyzing opacity, rule ordering.

This book is a thorough reexamination of phonological opacity. It finds insights in the extensive literature on rule interaction of the 1970s. It describes and critiques the oft-voiced opinion that there are no authentic cases of opacity. It evaluates representational approaches to opacity that emerged in the 1980s. Primarily, though, it discusses various ideas about opacity in OT and offers a new proposal, candidate chain theory. This proposal is illustrated and tested with analyses of the phonology of several Semitic languages.

Table of Contents:

1. Overview of the issues and the results; 2. Opacity, derivations, and Optimality Theory; 3. Candidate chains and phonological opacity; 4. Two Case Studies; 5. Postscript; 6. References

]]> John J. McCarthy 2007 Doing Optimality Theory http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/95 http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/95 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:31:03 PDT Optimality Theory revolutionized the field of phonology and had a huge impact on linguistics in general when it was first proposed in 1993. In Doing Optimality Theory, one of the key proponents of the theory explains how to do analysis and research using this model. Because the basic premises of OT are markedly different from other linguistic theories, new analytic techniques and new ways of thinking and theorizing are required.

This unique work presents practical, in-depth advice for students in the field in an engaging and accessible way. McCarthy illustrates his advice with specific examples throughout, and summarizes the core concepts of OT so that the book is geared for an audience both novice and advanced. Numerous questions and exercises throughout are designed to give readers an in-depth understanding of the material.

Doing Optimality Theory is an ideal guide through the intricacies of linguistic analysis and research for an audience of both advanced undergraduate and graduate students, and, by example, will lead the way to future developments in the field.

Table of Contents:

1. An Introduction to Optimality Theory; 2. How to Construct an Analysis; 3. How to Write Up an Analysis; 4. Developing New Constraints; 5. Language Typology and Universals; 6. Some Current Research Questions.

]]> John J. McCarthy 2008 Optimality Theory in Phonology: A Reader http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/94 http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/94 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:13:49 PDT Optimality Theory in Phonology: A Reader is a collection of readings on this important new theory by leading figures in the field, including a lengthy excerpt from Prince and Smolensky’s never-before-published Optimality Theory: Constraint Interaction in Generative Grammar.

This book compiles the most important readings about Optimality Theory in phonology from some of the most prominent researchers in the field, and contains 33 excerpts spanning a range of topics in phonology and including many never-before-published papers. Includes a lengthy excerpt from Prince and Smolensky’s foundational 1993 manuscript Optimality Theory: Constraint Interaction in Generative Grammar, as well as introductory notes and study/research questions for each chapter.

Table of Contents:

Part I: The Basics; Part II: Formal Analysis; Part III: Prosody; Part IV: Segmental Phonology; Part V: Interfaces.

]]> John J. McCarthy 2004 A Thematic Guide to Optimality Theory http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/93 http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/93 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:08:53 PDT This book describes Optimality Theory from the top down, explaining and exploring the central premises of OT and the results that follow from them. Examples are drawn from phonology, morphology, and syntax, but the emphasis throughout is on the theory rather than the examples, on understanding what is special about OT and on equipping readers to apply it, extend it, and critique it in their own areas of interest. The book's coverage extends to work on first- and second-language acquisition, phonetics and functional phonology, computational linguistics, historical linguistics, and sociolinguistics. Chapters conclude with extensive suggestions for further reading, classified by topic, and are supplemented by a massive bibliography (over 800 items).

Table of Contents:

Introduction: an overview of optimality theory; Part I. Core: 1. Basic architecture; 2. Constraint typology; 3. Modes of interaction; 4. Illustration; Part II. Context: 5. Classic generative phonology; 6. Conspiracies; 7. Representations and constraints on representations; 8. Other constraint theories (TCRS, DP, etc.); Part III. Results: 9. Endogenous constraints; 10. Consequences of markedness/faithfulness interaction; 11. Consequences of constraint violability; 12. Consequences of parallelism; Part IV. Connections: 13. Learnability and acquisition; 14. Parsing; Morphology and the lexicon; 15. Syntax and semantics; 16. Language variation and change; Part V. Issues and prospects: 17. Functionalism; 18. Opacity; 19. Serial OT; 20. Local conjunction; 21. 'Overkill'; 22. Other topics.

]]> John J. McCarthy 2002 Review of Janet C. E. Watson (2002) The Phonology and Morphology of Arabic http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/92 http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/92 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:40:20 PDT John J. McCarthy 2004 Review of Alan S. Kaye, ed. (1997) Phonologies of Asia and Africa: (Including the Caucasus) http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/91 http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/91 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:39:07 PDT John J. McCarthy 1998 Review of C. Paradis and J.-F. Prunet, eds. (1991) The Special Status of Coronals http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/90 http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/90 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:37:12 PDT John J. McCarthy et al. 1992 CT http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/89 http://works.bepress.com/john_j_mccarthy/89 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:40:28 PDT The special status of coronals in consonant clusters.

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