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Saltation and the P-map*
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 October 2015
Abstract
We define a saltatory phonological alternation as one in which sound A is converted to C, leaping over phonetically intermediate B. For example, in Campidanian Sardinian, intervocalic /p/ is realised as [β] – leaping over [b], which does not alternate. Based on experimental evidence, we argue that saltation is marked, i.e. a UG bias causes language learners to disprefer it. However, despite its marked status, saltation does occur. We survey its diachronic origins, and suggest that it is never introduced as a sound change, but arises only from a variety of historical accidents. For the formal analysis of saltation, we propose a new approach, based on Zuraw's (2007, 2013) *Map constraints and Steriade's (2001, 2009) P-map. This approach is more restrictive than previous proposals, and accounts for psycholinguistic evidence indicating an anti-saltation learning bias: saltation is disfavoured during learning because it is by definition not a P-map-compliant pattern.
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- Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015
Footnotes
For help and advice we would like to thank Laura Jo Downing, Armin Mester, Viola Miglio, Russell Schuh, Norval Smith, Colin Wilson and members of audiences at the joint UCLA/USC Phonology Seminar, Harvard University and the University of Washington. We also thank our anonymous reviewers and the associate editor for their helpful input.
Supplementary materials, which include the tableaux for the complete analysis of Campidanian (see §6.3 and §6.4), are available at http://www.journals.cambridge.org/issue_Phonology/Vol32No02.
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