This is the class log, updated after every class meeting. It includes topics, assignments, announcements, Web links, etc.

Topics: Gaps in factorial typology.

Class:

• Discussion of Myers 2002

Topics: Child language. Segmental coalescence and the OCP.

Class:

• Second half of Gnanadesikan 2004.
• Segmental coalescence and featural faithfulness (where have we seen this before?)
• Blocking of coalescence by OCP-Labial.

Topics: Child language. Emergence of the unmarked.

Class:

• Thought problem from last time: Can positional markedness replace positional faithfulness?
• First half of Gnanadesikan 2004:
  • What is child's input? How can we tell? (Relation to loanword adaptation?)
  • "Continuity hypothesis": Child and adult use same constraints with different ranking. Evidence?
  • "Emergence of the unmarked"
• ICP: Tagalog infixation, illustrating TETU.

Topics: Positional faithfulness and positional markedness.

Class:

• Finish discussion of Beckman 2004, from last time's handout.
• Application of positional faithfulness to Catalan voicing alternations.
• HO: Discussion guide for Zoll 2004 (Bb).
• What are "strong" positions?
• Morpheme-specific ALIGN constraints.

• Thought problem: Can PM supplant PF? In particular,can we construct a PM account of Shona height harmony?
• Read first 4 sections of Gnanadesikan 2004 (Bb).

Topics: Positional faithfulness, and a bit of Feature Geometry.

Class:

• HO: Discussion guide for Beckman 2004 (Bb).
• The "aperture" node, and tier adjacency in Feature Geometry (Clements & Hume 1995)

Class:

• Go over midterm.
• Finish discussion of Pater 2004 article.

Class:

• Discussion of Pater 2004 *NC article.
• Phonetic grounding of markedness constraints.
• Stringency relationships (Root-Lin and Lin, Max-Obst and Max)
• Over- and undergeneration. How good is our sample of languages? What can we conclude from unattestedness?

Class:

• Finish discussion of Kongo ICP (McCarthy 1999).
• Madurese/Yoruba ICP, illustrating factorial typology derived from allophonic distribution.

Topics: Squibs. Begin segmental processes.

Class:

• Finish discussion of HW 7 (factorial typology of syllable structure).
• About squibs (Bb).
• Midterms.
• ICP: Kongo palatalization (McCarthy 1999) (Bb)

Topics: Factorial typology examples.

Class:

• Comparison: English syllabification and Negev Bedouin Arabic (McCarthy 1999)
• Discuss HW 7, factorial typology of syllables and syllabification.

Topics: Factorial typology.

Class:

• Discussion of McCarthy 2007
• Abstract exercises (McC 1999)
• Syllabification ICP (McC 1999)

Topics: Alignment.

Class:

• Bedouin Arabic ICP (McCarthy 1999).
• Morpheme-syllable alignment.
• HO: Writing up an OT problem (Bedouin Arabic).

Topics: Correspondence theory.

Class:

• Formalizing input-output relationships.
• The correspondence relationship. Subscripts as a convenient shorthand.
• Max, Dep, Ident.
• Begin Bedouin Arabic ICP (McCarthy 1999)

Topics: Constraints and constraint rankings.

Class:

• Jola-Fonyi HW.
• Markedness vs. faithfulness constraints.
• Prioritizing ("ranking") constraints using comparative tableaus.

Topics: Introduction to Optimality Theory.

Class:

• Tibetan Numerals HW.
• Surface targets.
• Candidates.
• Constraints and ranking.

Topics: Rule ordering held over by popular demand.

Class:

• ICP: Polish nouns.
• ICP: Dutch obstruent clusters at word boundaries (G&J Ch. 6).

Topics: Rule ordering.

Class:

• Discuss Catalan HW.
• Rule interactions: feeding, bleeding, counterfeeding, counterbleeding.

Topics: Rules and rule ordering.

Class:

• Re HW 3: Significance of minimum description length in feature systems for natural-class predictions.
• ICP: Lithuanian and New Julfa Armenian.

Topics: Features and rules.

Class:

• Discuss HW 3, Ossetic obstruent aspiration and formalization of Inuktitu vowel problem.
• Minimal featural descriptions for segment classes.
• ICP: Northern Salentino Italian metaphony.
• HO: Writing up the metaphony problem.

Topics: How features work.

Class:

• General points re features.
• Discuss HW 2.
• Binary, unary, and dependent features. Combinatorial possibilities.
• ICP: Kenyang (Odden 2005).

• Read G\&J Ch. 6 (Bb).
• Do HW 3.

Topics: Using features and natural classes.

Class:

• Discuss HW 1 (final clusters).
• Handout: Place Features (Bb).

Topics: Natural classes and distinctive features.

Class:

• Two ICPs illustrating recurrence of natural classes:
  • Tohono 'O'odham affricates (Odden 2003)
  • German fricatives (data from Moulton 1962)
• Handout with discussion questions about the McCarthy 2001 and G&J 2005 readings (Bb).

Topics: Phonological modelling. Begin natural classes.

Class:

• Finish Georgian laterals problem in connection with "Competing analyses" HO from last time (Bb)
• ICP: Inuktitut vowels (multiple analyses). (Bb)
  • Phonetic motivation
  • Natural-class behavior (or not)
  • One rule or two?

• Read McCarthy 2001 MITECS article on distinctive features (Bb)
• Read Gussenhoven & Jacobs 2005, Ch. 5, Sections 1-4 (Bb)

Topics: Motivating phonology.

Class:

• Discuss Kenstowicz & Kisseberth reading.
• Motivating phonology (Bb).
• Predictable and unpredictable information; lexicon and rules.
• ICP: Dutch noun plurals.
• Deciding between competing analyses (Bb).

Topics: Review of phonetics.

Class:

• Importance of phonetics for phonology.
• Articulatory vs. acoustic descriptions.
• HO on VT anatomy (Bb).
• Observing your articulators
• Vowels. HO on "Phonetic symbols for vowels" (Bb).
• Consonants. HO on "Phonetic symbols for consonants" (Bb).
• Prosodic symbols: Stress, syllabicity, and length.

Topics: Course organization. What is phonology?

Class:

• Course organization. Syllabus (HO, Bb)
• What is phonology? (HO, Bb)

• Read Kenstowicz & Kisseberth 1979, Ch. 1, pp. 7-23 (Bb), a review of phonetics..
• Bring a hand mirror to class next time.