The book examines the formal characterization of multiple association from the perspective of a declarative constraint-based phonological framework. Both the autosegmental and constraint-based aspects of the book are highly relevant to recent developments in phonological theory, predating the current interest in constraint interaction and optimization. In general then, constraints are simply conjoined, and faithfulness to the lexical entry is obligatory.
Alternations arise from underspecification .
Association is then defined as the inverse of dominance within the feature geometry, so multiple association is co-dominance of a feature by two roots. Thus, because features and association lines are indestructible, the key Autosegmental properties of Integrity and Inalterability are predicted to occur. Long distance dependencies are then considered. From the perspective of structural integrity, discontinuous geminates in planar morphologies are more like fake geminates than true geminates, which is predicted by the Sharing Constraint. Thus the balance of evidence is against a single mechanism uniting local and non-local multiple association.