In this chapter the authors discuss the representation of degrees of complexity in segmental structure. After exploring several measures of complexity in relation to the notion of markedness, five assumptions concerning phonological primes are listed. Adopting a dependency-based model using unary… read more
This article develops a new theory of vowel harmony in which harmony is represented in terms of a licensing relationship between vowels that carry the harmonic element ‘invariably’ and vowels that carry this element ‘variably’; the latter vowels are the alternating vowels. Of central concern is the… read more
This article discusses various manifestations of tongue root (TR) harmony in African languages. I will propose an account within a model that uses variable elements and licensing. The primary goal is to deconstruct the general label ‘tongue root harmony’ into a number of subtypes, based on the… read more
In this article I propose an analysis of lowering harmony in the Bantu languages Kikuyu and Kimatumbi. This analysis is carried out within a model called Radical cv Phonology (RcvP). Following Dependency Phonology, RcvP uses unary elements as primitives and dependency relations between elements… read more
This article proposes a system for representing phonation distinction in consonants
within Radical CV Phonology (RCVP), a dependency-based model that
uses unary “features” (called elements). The RCVP model is briefly outlined.
The proposal for phonation distinction is compared to traditional… read more
Since Battison (1978), it has been noted in many signed languages that the Symmetry Condition constrains the form of two-handed signs in which two hands move independently. The Condition states that the form features (e.g., the handshapes and movements) of the two hands are ‘symmetrical’. The… read more
This paper describes the SignPhon database, a tool for phonological research. The history and goal of the project are outlined, and the database is briefly compared to other projects like HamNoSys and SignStream. We present the structure of the database and an overview of the fields that are… read more