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Artur Kijak |
This paper aims to examine the
problem of representation of the so-called trapped sonorants in Polish, in a
recent development of the Government Phonology paradigm (Kaye et al. 1990),
strict CV model (Lowenstamm 1996, Scheer 1999).
Since Polish tolerates complex
consonantal combinations, especially in initial position, it has always been a
good testing ground for different theoretical frameworks (Kury³owicz 1952,
Rubach & Booij 1990a, 1990b, Gussmann & Kaye 1993, Rowicka 1999,
Gussmann & Cyran 1998, Cyran & Gussmann 1999). Complex initial
sequences have been problematic for any theory. They either violate any version
of the Sonority Sequencing Principle (SSP) or exceed the permissible limit on
the number of consonants in the word-initial clusters. Additionally, this
language is rare in that it abounds in instances of the trapped sonorants, e.g.
drgaæ, 'vibrate', drval, 'wood-cutter', krtañ, 'larynx', brn¹æ 'plod' etc.
Thus, similarly to many attempts aiming to explain Polish wild sequences, there
have been many attempts to resolve the problem of Polish trapped sonorants,
especially in terms of extrasyllabicity (Rubach), but also by different means
(Pawelec 2001). The GP invention of empty Nuclei contributed to the
understanding of the behaviour of Polish initial clusters and gave first
attempts to explain their peculiarity (Gussmann & Kaye 1993, Gussmann &
Cyran 1998, Cyran & Gussmann 1999). Coherent as it is, the standard
Government Phonology (SGP) analysis, however, seems to overlook the puzzle of
trapped sonorants altogether. Thus, although SGP resolves most of the problems
connected with the syllabification of the initial sequences, the CV model,
supported by the Lowenstamm's (1999) idea of the initial empty CV unit,
explains the same facts in a much more satisfactory manner. The main advantage
of the CV model over SGP is that the former is much more constrained which must
be automatically regarded as an advantage (SGP requires quite a few mechanisms
to account for Polish initial facts, namely: Magic Licensing, Proper
Government, Interonset Government, Constituent Government, Interconstituent
Government, and Government Licensing, while CV needs only two: Government and
Licensing). Moreover, the latter model neatly explains the clusters which have
been problematic for SGP. More importantly, CV recognizes the peculiarity of
the trapped sonorants. Thus, following a recent interest in the attempts to
explain the syllabic consonants (Harris 1994, Szigetvari 2000, Blaho 2002) I
could add to this area of recent interest Polish trapped sonorants. Given that
otherwise elegant and coherent CV analysis of Polish initial sequences is
challenged when faced with trapped sonorants, I will attempt at resolving the
problematic character of such clusters by representing them as left-branching
structures, similarly to syllabic consonants (Szigetvari 2000). This solution
seems promising as it explains such sequences without introducing additional
machinery, hence without unnecessary burdening the theory. I will then discuss
some of the consequences of representing trapped sonorants as left-branching
structures.
References:
Blaho, S. 2002. The representation
of syllabic consonants in strict CV frameworks. Paper presented at 9th Vienna
International Phonology Meeting, 1-3 November, 2002.
Cyran, E. & E. Gussmann 1999. Consonantal clusters and governing
relations: Polish initial consonant sequences. In Hulst, H. van der & N. Ritter (eds.). The syllable: views and facts. Mouton de Gruyter, Berlin.
Gussmann, E. & E. Cyran 1998.
Polish consonantal sequences: a phonological testing ground. In Cyran (ed.).
Structure and interpretation. Studies in phonology. Wydawnictwo Folium,
Lublin.
Harris, J. 1994. English Sound
Structure. Blackwell, Oxford.
Kaye, J., J. Lowenstamm & J. R.
Vergnaud 1990. Constituent structure and government in phonology. Phonology 7,
193-231.
Kijak, A. in press. Strict CV or VC
Phonology? Polish trapped sonorants. Linguistica Silesiana.
Lowenstamm, J. 1996. CV as the only
syllable type. In Durand, J. & B. Laks (eds.). Why Phonology is one.
Current trends in Phonology. Models and Methods. Salford, Manchester: ESRI.
Lowenstamm, J. 1999. The beginning
of the word. In Rennison & Kühnhammer (eds.). Phonologica 1996. Holland
Academic Graphics, The Hague.
Pawelec, P. 2001. The Trapped
Sonorants in Polish. Paper presented at 3rd Warszawa annual meeting of GLiP,
7-8 April 2001.
Rochoñ, M. 2000. Prosodic
constituents in the representation of consonantal sequences in Polish. Paper
presented at 22 annual meeting of DCfS, Marbourg.
Rubach,
J. & G. B. Booij 1990a. Syllable
structure assignment in Polish. Phonology 7, 121-58.
Rubach, J. & G. B. Booij 1990b.
Edge of constituent effects in Polish. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory
8, 427-63.
Scheer, T. 1999. A theory of
consonantal interaction. Folia Linguistica 32, 201-37.
Ségéral, P. & T. Scheer 1999a.
The Coda Mirror. Ms. University of Nice. Downloadable at http:// www.
unice.fr/dsl/tobias.htm
Szigetvári, P. 2000. VC Phonology: a
theory of consonant lenition and phonotactics. Thése de doctorat Université de
Budapest.