| We
will then have the following choices considering the criterion of
neatness of pattern. |
|
1)
|
|
|
 h
|
s
|
|
2)
|
c
|
j
|
s
|
|
|
3)
|
c
|
j
|
ch
|
s
|
|
|
| Of these three, (1)
and (3) are more probable since they pattern with the stops which
have a set of voiceless, voiced and aspirated phonemes. With no valid
reason for prefering one of these two, the first set is arbitrarily
chosen for the present analysis. Nevertheless the free variation,
especially the four way one, defies a neat description under the structural
model. |
| We shall now analyse
the data in the framework of generative phonology. We shall have /c/,
/j and /ch/ or /c&/,
/j&/
and /c&h/
as the underlying segments on the model of the stops. If we choose
the first set, there must be a Palatalisation rule to change the alveolar
affricates into their respective palatal affricates. This rule will
apply obligatorily before front vowels (thus accounting for the only
occurrence of palatals in this environment) and will apply optionally
before non-front vowels(thus accounting for the only occurrence of
both alveolars and palatals in this environment). This has a theoretical
implication. This claims that a phonological rule can be partially
optional, i.e., a rule can be optional in certain environments and
obligatory in certain other environments. Until we get further proof
to validate this claim, this rule can only be provisional. |
| So we shall take the
second set, i.e., the palatal series as the underlying segments. Then
there must be an Alveolarization rule
which changes the palatal affricates into their respective alveolar
affricates before non-front vowels. This rule will apply optionally.
It may be stated as follows: |
| Alveolarization Rule: |
|
Opt.
|
[+cons.]
[ ] [ ]
|
Opt. [+high
] ® [ -high ] in
|
env.__
[+voc. ]
|
[-back
] [+cor ] [ ]
|
|
|
| There must also be
a Deocclusion rule in this language which changes the voiceless aspired
alveolar and palatal affricates / ch / and / c&h
/ into / s / and / s&
/ respectively. This will also be an optional rule and will optional
rule and will operate after the alveolarisation rule. It may be stated
as follows: |
| Deocclusion Rule: |
|
|
[-cont.
] [ ]
|
|
|
|
|
[-nasal
]
|
|
|
|
Opt.
|
[-abr.
rel. ] [ ]
|
®
|
[
+cont. ]
|
|
|
[+asp.
]
|
|
|
|
|
Let us see now how
we get all the surface forms with these two optional rules. When the
Alveolarisation rule operates on / /, / 
/ and / h
/ before non-front vowels, we will get [ c ], [ j ] and [ ch ] respectively
before non-front vowels. The optionality of this rule will explain
why we have free variation between [ c ] and [
], [ j ] and [ ]
and [ ch ] and [ c&h]
before non-front vowels. When the Alveolarisation rule has applied
and the Deocuulusion rule applies to its output / ch /, we will get
[ s]. When the Alveolarisation rule hasn’t |
