Word Structure in Ngalakgan
Brett Baker
Word Structure in Ngalakgan is the first major theoretical work on the
phonology and morphology of an Australian language in 20
years. Ngalakgan is a non-configurational, polysynthetic, and
agglutinative language of the Gunwinyguan family. The morphological
structures of Ngalakgan require a two-level analysis: ROOT-level and
WORD-level. Only the WORD-level shows regular phonologically
conditioned alternations. The ROOT-level is entirely frozen. Baker
demonstrates that Optimality Theory must take account of differences
in the productivity of morphological relations in the input, in
order to maintain the simplest analysis. Ngalakgan has a
quantity-sensitive stress system which is hitherto undescribed and
which contradicts the predictions of current Moraic
Theory. Syllables closed by codas which share place with a following
onset do not count as heavy even though heterorganic codas do. The
same system is found in neighboring languages. This and other
patterns suggest that syllabification in these languages is
gesture-, rather than timing-, based.
Brett Baker is a Senior Lecturer in Linguistics at the University of New England, Armidale, Australia.
May 2008
ISBN (Paperback): 9781575865621
ISBN (Electronic): 9781575868578
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Distributed by the University of Chicago Press
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