This dissertation presents two case studies on incomplete neutralization (IN): flapping in American English (AmE) and monomoraic lengthening in Japanese. I provide experimental evidence showing that the underlying contrast in each case is only partly neutralized. I argue that these cases represent two points on a continuum of completeness of neutralization: a plausibly perceptible surface distinction (Japanese), and an indistinguishable surface distinction (flapping). Perception experiments support the imperceptibility of IN in flapping (Experiments 3, 4, and 5). First, I argue that IN is not solely due to experimental artifacts. I show that the degree of neutralization remains constant between two tasks—one designed to increase such effects, and one designed to reduce them—suggesting that results of IN cannot be reduced to these factors (Experiments 1 and 2). Second, I address the types of contrasts which can undergo IN. Most studies on IN center on feature/segment-level contrasts (e.g., voicing). Experiments 6 and 7 show that the Japanese vowel length contrast undergoes IN in monomoraic lengthening. I argue that the processes that can lead to IN must include suprasegmental and prosodic ones. Third, given the experimental results, I claim that IN is best accounted for in a model of phonetics based on a weighted-constraint grammar (Legendre et al. 1990, Zsiga 2000, Flemming 2001). I propose two types of constraints: the first pressures segments to match a target value for a given phonetic measure (Flemming 2001). The second type of constraint, based on transderivational identity (Benua 1997, Steriade 2000), requires candidates to match a base form (determined by frequency) for a given phonetic measure. Under the weighted constraint model, constraint conflict is resolved by compromise, rather than strict domination. This compromise, combined with access to quantitative phonetic detail, allows the model to generate languages at both the plausibly perceptible end of the IN spectrum (like Japanese) and the imperceptible end (like AmE), as well as the continuum in between. Finally, I show that this model best accounts for the Directionality Observation of IN: the realization of two incompletely neutralized categories is predictable. On a continuum of the acoustic cue(s) that differentiate the categories, an incompletely neutralized segment falls between the canonical realizations of the two categories.
Subject (authority = RUETD)
Topic
Linguistics
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = RULIB)
ETD
Identifier
ETD_4908
PhysicalDescription
Form (authority = gmd)
electronic resource
InternetMediaType
application/pdf
InternetMediaType
text/xml
Extent
xix, 188 p. : ill.
Note (type = degree)
Ph.D.
Note (type = bibliography)
Includes bibliographical references
Note (type = vita)
Includes vita
Note (type = statement of responsibility)
by Aaron Braver
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Neutralization (Linguistics)
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
English language--Neutralization--Case studies
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Japanese language--Neutralization--Case studies
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
English language--Phonetics--Case studies
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Japanese language--Phonetics--Case studies
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Graduate School - New Brunswick Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = local)
rucore19991600001
Location
PhysicalLocation (authority = marcorg); (displayLabel = Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)
Rutgers University. Graduate School - New Brunswick
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Type
License
Name
Author Agreement License
Detail
I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.