Linguistics Colloquium Series presents Dr. Elizabeth Hume, Ohio University (courtesy), Ohio State University (professor emerita) with the collaboration of Dr. Kathleen Currie Hall (University of British Columbia), Dr. Florian Jaeger (University of Rochester),and Dr. Andrew Wedel (University of Arizona) discussing "The Message Shapes Phonology: A Unified Account of Strong and Weak Patterns"

This talk focusses on a diverse group of asymmetrical phonological patterns that can be framed, in general terms, as being weak or strong, exemplified by lenitions and fortitions. To begin, we describe a general puzzle that is presented by the apparently disparate contexts in which strong and weak phonological patterns appear. We then provide background on language as a communication system, and review evidence that communicative goals, such as robust information transmission, do in fact influence language variation and change. We then return to the puzzle and provide a predictive account of strong and weak phonological patterns that makes use of a message-based framework.

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Meeting ID: 253 514 611 379

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