Publication: On Formal Universals in Phonology
Open/View Files
Date
2009
Authors
Published Version
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
The Harvard community has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you.
Citation
Nevins, Andrew. 2009. On formal universals in phonology. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 32(5): 461-462.
Research Data
Abstract
Understanding the universal aspects of human language structure requires comparison at multiple levels of analysis. While Evans & Levinson (E&L) focus mostly on substantive variation in language, equally revealing insights can come from studying formal universals. I first discuss how Artificial Grammar Experiments can test universal preferences for certain types of abstract phonological generalizations over others. I then discuss moraic onsets in the language Arrernte, and how its apparent substantive variation ultimately rests on a formal universal regarding syllable-weight sensitivity.
Description
Other Available Sources
Keywords
Terms of Use
This article is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Other Posted Material (LAA), as set forth at Terms of Service