Minimality in iKalanga. Issue 1 (2nd January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kadenge, Maxwell; Mathangwane, Joyce
• Is Part Of: Language matters. Volume 48:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 126
• Page End: 146
• Publication Date: 2017-01-02
• Subjects: Co-phonology -- epenthesis -- iKalanga -- minimality -- Optimality Theory -- prosodic word; Africa -- Languages -- Periodicals; 496.05
• DOI: 10.1080/10228195.2017.1297846
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1022-8195

Abstract

ABSTRACT: In chiShona, different dialects impose different minimality restrictions on well-formed prosodic words (PWords). While chiZezuru requires minimally disyllabic PWords, chiKaranga allows monosyllabic ones. IKalanga presents a paradoxical case in that it imposes different minimality restrictions on different word categories. Its imperative verbs and pronouns are required to be minimally disyllabic while nouns and adjectives can be monosyllabic and monomoraic. We utilise analytical insights from the Co-phonology theory to account for this intra-linguistic variation. Inverbs and pronouns, the markedness constraint Min -Wd outranks the faithfulness constraint Dependence -IO while in nouns and adjectives Dependence -IO trumps Min -Wd . Consequently, augmentative [i] epenthesis is viable in verbs and pronouns while in nouns and adjectives it is not. The overall significance of this article lies in the fact that it is the first study to present a detailed description and formal analysis of iKalanga minimality effects.