Abstract
Abstract This study sheds light on the relationship between the Sonority Sequencing Principle (SSP) and syllable structure in Sabzevari, a Persian vernacular spoken in the Sabzevar area of Northeast Iran. Optimality Theory (OT), as a constraint-based approach, is utilized to scrutinize sonority violation and its repair strategies. The results suggest that obedience to the SSP is mandatory in Sabzevari, as shown through the treatment of word-final clusters in Standard Persian words which violate the SSP. These consonant clusters are avoided in Sabzevari by two phonological processes: vowel epenthesis and metathesis. Vowel epenthesis is motivated by final consonant clusters of the forms /fricative+coronal nasal/, /plosive+bilabial nasal/, /fricative+bilabial nasal/, /plosive+rhotic/, /fricative+rhotic/, and /plosive+lateral/. Metathesis, as another repair strategy for sonority sequencing violations, occurs when dealing with final consonant clusters of the forms /plosive+fricative/and / fricative+lateral/.
Highlights
Studies conducted on sonority demonstrate a significant role in the organization of syllables in natural languages (Clements 1990; Laks 1990; Klein 1990)
It is necessary to address the following questions: “How is conformity with the Sonority Sequencing Principle (SSP) achieved in Sabzevari?”, “To what extent are vowel epenthesis and metathesis applied in this dialect?”, and “How can we account for vowel epenthesis and metathesis in Sabzevari using Optimality Theory (OT)?”
This research addressed the following questions: How is conformity with the SSP achieved in Sabzevari? To what extent are vowel epenthesis and metathesis applied in this dialect? How can we account for vowel epenthesis and metathesis in Sabzevari using OT? Conformity to the SSP is mandatory in Sabzevari and the violation of this constraint triggers vowel epenthesis and metathesis
Summary
Studies conducted on sonority demonstrate a significant role in the organization of syllables in natural languages (Clements 1990; Laks 1990; Klein 1990). Sonority Sequencing Principle in Sabzevari Persian 435 while others follow this principle through repair strategies including vowel epenthesis and metathesis; Hannahs (2013) states that the repair strategies of vowel epenthesis and metathesis are used to abide the SSP in Welsh, whereas metathesis is the only strategy used in Judeo-Spanish to follow the same principle (Bradley 2007). These repair strategies are investigated with reference to Persian varieties.
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