A Lateral Theory of Phonology. / Volume 1, : What is CVCV and why should it be? / / Tobias Scheer.

• Superior document: Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter DGBA Backlist Complete English Language 2000-2014 PART1
• VerfasserIn: Scheer, Tobias,
• Place / Publishing House: Berlin ;, Boston : : De Gruyter Mouton, , [2012]; ©2004
• Year of Publication: 2012
• Edition: Reprint 2012
• Language: English
• Series: Studies in Generative Grammar [SGG] , 68.1
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (854 p.)

This book presents a development of Jean Lowenstamm's idea that phonological constituent structure can be reduced to a strict sequence of non-branching Onsets and non-branching Nuclei. The approach at hand is known as 'CVCV', and emerged from Government Phonology. Since its very beginnings in the early 80s, the central claim of this theory has been that syllable-based generalisations are due to lateral relations among constituents, rather than to the familiar arboreal structure. This book shows that Standard Government Phonology did not go far enough in implementing this idea. CVCV completes the missing steps: structure and causality are fully lateralised. Detailed discussion is offered how basic phonological objects and processes such as Codas, closed syllables, long vowels, geminates, syllabic consonants, vowel-zero alternations, closed syllable shortening, compensatory lengthening, lenition and the like can be represented within the CVCV frame. The first part of the book is called "What is CVCV ?". It presents the properties of the theory. The second part focuses on the reasons why it is worthwhile considering CVCV a valuable and viable approach. The primary goal of the book is not to engage the dialogue with other phonological theories. Rather, it aims at establishing a player in the general game: defining the properties of a theory is always prior to its comparison with other models. In the current OT-dominated phonological scene, then, CVCV appears as a true theory of the 80s insofar as it is representational at core: representations exist and are primitive, rather than arising as accidental results from a heterogeneous set of constraints. The original analyses presented in this book are grounded in the languages that the author is best familiar with, i.e. (Western) Slavic, French, German and some Semitic. Particular attention is paid to diachronic evidence in its relation to the synchronic state of languages.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- Table of contents – overview -- Table of contents – detail -- 1 Editorial note: two volumes -- 2 Foreword -- 3 How to use this book -- 4 Conventions used in this book -- PART ONE: WHAT IS CVCV? -- Chapter 1. Introduction -- Chapter 2. Open versus closed syllables in CVCV -- Chapter 3. A unified theory of vowel – zero alternations -- Chapter 4. Alternating vowels are present in the lexicon -- Chapter 5. The beginning of the word: “#” CV -- Chapter 6. The Coda Mirror -- Chapter 7. Consequences of the Coda Mirror: no confusion between Government and Licensing anymore -- Chapter 8. A syntax of phonology -- Chapter 9. Lateral relations are head-final: length in phonology -- Chapter 10. Syllabic and trapped consonants in CVCV -- PART TWO: WHY CVCV ? -- Chapter 1. Introduction -- Chapter 2. Principles of argumentation I: disjunctive contexts -- Chapter 3. Principles of argumentation II: representations and their function -- Chapter 4. Principles of argumentation III: generality of processes -- Chapter 5. Principles of argumentation IV: a better solution for extrasyllabicity than extrasyllabicity -- Chapter 6. Argument One -- Chapter 7. Argument Two -- Chapter 8. Argument Three -- Chapter 9. Argument Four -- Chapter 10. Argument Five -- Chapter 11. Argument Six -- Chapter 12. Argument Seven -- Chapter 13. Argument Eight -- Chapter 14. Argument Nine -- Chapter 15. Argument Ten -- General Conclusion -- Appendices -- References -- Subject Index -- Language Index