PLM2008 Workshop Session: Variable shape templates in morpho-syntax and phonology

Following up on last year's interface session, and given the overall leitmotif of the 39th PLM, we would like to examine the question of how phonology and morpho-syntax interact in the management of templates that do not impose a fixed shape. Typical Semitic templates impose a rigid sequence of consonants and vowels for a given morpho-semantic category (e.g. [CVCCVC] is the invariable shape of form II). However, templatic restrictions may also be global, which means that they may be satisfied by variable shapes. For example, a number of Germanic languages display restrictions on (the end of) the root, which must weigh 3 morae; this restriction can (at least) be satisfied by a short vowel and two consonants (VCC) or a long vowel and one single consonant (VVC).

Contributions are invited which examine where exactly the templatic restriction is stored, how morpho-syntax "knows" that it is related to a specific morpho-syntactic category, how it is transmitted to the phonology, and how phonology enforces its execution.

Deadline for submission is April 15th, 2008. Please direct an abstract (no longer than two pages, not including references and examples) to the organizers.

Session organisers

Tobias Scheer (CNRS, Nice), e-mail: scheer (at) unice.fr
Grzegorz Michalski (Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań), e-mail: grzegorz (at) ifa.amu.edu.pl
(In the addresses above, replace (at) with @)