Neutralization
By: Daniel Silverman
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 2012
Place of publication: Cambridge; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 238
ISBN-13: 9780521196710; 9780521145015
Subjects: Neutralization (Linguistics); Comparative and general Grammar; Phonology; LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Linguistics / Phonetics & Phonology; Phonetics
Description: "The function of language is to transmit information from speakers to listeners. This book investigates an aspect of linguistic sound patterning that has traditionally been assumed to interfere with this function - neutralization, a conditioned limitation on the distribution of a language's contrastive values. The book provides in-depth, nuanced and critical analyses of many theoretical approaches to neutralization in phonology and argues for a strictly functional characterization of the term: neutralizing alternations are only function-negative to the extent that they derive homophones, and most surprisingly, neutralization is often function-positive, by serving as an aid to parsing. Daniel Silverman encourages the reader to challenge received notions by carefully considering these functional consequences of neutralization. The book includes a glossary, discussion points and lists of further reading to help advanced phonology students consolidate the main ideas and findings on neutralization"--
Table of contents: title: Machine generated contents note: 1. The rhyme and the reason of neutralization; Part I. Rhyme; Section 1. Observation and Description: 2. Topology; 3. Typology; 4. Taxonomy; Section 2. False Positives: 5. Partial phonemic overlap; 6. Near-neutralization; Section 3. Explanation: 7. Ease of production; 8. Ease of perception; 9. Phonetic misperception; 10. Semantic misperception: early proposals; 11. Semantic misperception: recent proposals; Section 4. Exemplification: 12. Case study; 13. Domains of application; 14. Distinctions are drawn that matter; Part II. Reason: 15. Cement; 16. Boundary signals; 17. Prosodies; 18. Transitional probabilities; 19. The power of Babelese.