Autosegmental Phonology
, J. Goldsmith 1976
A modification of the theory of generative phonology is suggested in this thesis in the introduction of parallel tiers of segments (or “autosegments). This is shown, in the first chapter, to resolve certain formal and substantive problems in the current theory. A detailed analysis of Igbo, a tone language of Nigeria, is presented in autosegmental terms in Chapter Two, as well as a new analysis of the phenomenon of “downstep” found in most African languages. In Chapter Three, these notions are developed to account for stress and intonation patterns in English, and various accentual and non-accentual systems are dealt with as ways of co-ordinating the tonal and syllabic tiers of autosegments. Work by G.N. Clements on vowel harmony is cited to support a more general account of autosegmental phonology. Chapter Four presents a hypothesis for the origin of autosegmental phonology, suggesting that the inherent geometry at the phonetic level is “autosegmental”, but that language acquisition will include the task of “de-autosegmentalization”, which tends to collapse the multi-linear autosegmental geometry to a linear one at the lexical level.
Thesis Supervisor: Morris Halle
Title: Professor of Linguistics
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Table of Contents
Abstract 2
Epigraph 4
Preface 5
Prelude – The Question of Suprasegmentals 11
Chapter One An Overview 28
Notes 93
Chapter Two Igbo Tonology 97
Notes 185
Chapter Three Melodic Association Rules 193
Notes 260
Chapter Four The Autosegmental Index 264
Bibliography 276
Bibilographical Note 280