Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
7298513 Lingua 2014 17 Pages PDF
Abstract
The consonant of the feminine marker /at/ of Modern Hebrew is absent from certain configurations, but present in others (N-at+N constructs). In this paper, I propose to regard this phenomenon a case of allomorphy, conditioned both phonologically and morpho-syntactically. The consonant is analyzed as floating. In consequence, additional skeletal support is needed to explain its realization. One possible, independently motivated source for such support is Lowenstamm's (1996) “initial CV”: the floating /t/ attaches to the initial CV of the following word. Still, the question is raised why this happens mainly in that very specific configuration. N-at+N constructions are therefore compared to the minimally different Nat+Adj, and four differences are singled-out. After a prosodic solution is judged insufficient, syntactic structures are proposed for both constructions and the four differences are related to phase-structure, under the assumption that D is the first phasal head of the nominal architecture. Adopting Scheer's (2009) claim that Lowenstamm's initial CV marks phase boundaries, rather than word-boundaries, it is then shown that the /t/ remains afloat exactly when the phase structure motivated by the four differences renders the initial CV of the following phase inaccessible; but if phase structure allows it, the same /t/ can be linked to that following CV. The logic behind the allomorphy is thus both phonological (it relies on autosegmental analysis) and morphosyntactic - it follows from phase structure. On a general level, if so, evidence is adduced to the correctness of Scheer's proposal. On a more language-specific view, an elusive case of allomorphy, hitherto regarded as historical, receives synchronic motivation in the consideration of general principles of form and structure interrelations.
Related Topics
Social Sciences and Humanities Arts and Humanities Language and Linguistics
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