Topic
Dissimilation
About: Dissimilation is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 97 publications have been published within this topic receiving 1414 citations.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
1 Jan 1998
TL;DR: An alternative theory of identity avoidance, GENERALIZED OCP (GOCP) is proposed which generalizes the applicability of the traditional OCP to a wider range of phenomena, not just autosegmental (i.e. featural) ones.
Abstract: This dissertation investigates the phenomenon of dissimilation from a theoretical perspective, with special attention to crosslinguistic patterns. After first arguing that the previous accounts based on the Obligatory Contour Principle (OCP) (Leben 1973, McCarthy 1979, 1986) are not satisfactory, I propose an alternative theory of identity avoidance, GENERALIZED OCP (GOCP) which generalizes the applicability of the traditional OCP to a wider range of phenomena, not just autosegmental (i.e. featural) ones. My proposal asserts that identity avoidance between two elements in sequence is fundamental to linguistic theory, an idea that can be characterized by a universal constraint governing various types of dissimilatory phenomena. This concept is implemented within the framework of Optimality Theory (Prince and Smolensky 1993, McCarthy and Prince 1993a,b), which provides the flexibility for constraints to be both violable and rankable. Contrary to the traditional OCP based approach which is bound by various representational properties such as feature geometry and underspecification, the proposed approach abandons this representational dependency in favor of the richly articulated constraint-based system. Based on the data collected from 57 language cases, I then examine the various factors that play a role in dissimilation, including the elements involved, their adjacency relations, and the domain of dissimilation. I demonstrate that the GOCP constitutes a consistent formal apparatus on the one hand, and the versatility to accommodate the complexity of dissimilation patterns on the other. Moreover, it is shown that the present approach formally unifies the characterization of both the similarity effects and blocking effects by directly incorporating Local Conjunction as a uniform mechanism of accounting for the Similarity effect, OCP-subsidiary feature phenomena. As a result,
186 citations
Book•
1 Nov 1994
TL;DR: The emergence of Italian chronology and historical sources is discussed in this paper, with a note on phonetic transcription some concepts in linguistic change, and a history of the sound system: the prosodic system vowels consonants major vowel changes the glides [j] and [w], and their effects palatalizing effects of the front vowels, consonantal weakening consonant lengthening, and syllable structure syllable-final weakening the word-final consonants dissimilation and metathesis.
Abstract: Part 1 Introduction: perspectives and aims the emergence of Italian chronology and historical sources a note on phonetic transcription some concepts in linguistic change. Part 2 History of the sound system: the prosodic system vowels consonants major vowel changes the glides [j] and [w], and their effects palatalizing effects of the front vowels consonantal weakening consonant lengthening, and syllable structure syllable-final weakening the word-final consonants dissimilation and metathesis the phonetic sources of inflectional -e and -i a note on "learned" phonology. Part 3 Structural evolution of nouns, adjectives and verbs: structure of words infectional morphology of the noun and adjective invariance and inflectionalessness number in the noun and adjective gender adjectives the demonstratives the articles the verb the pronouns the prepositions derivational word formation. Part 4 History of sentence structure: verb - subject agreement interrogation negation conjunctions comparison verb complementation aspect and tense mood. Part 5 Variation in modern Italian: types of variation the dialects structural influences of the dialects on popular Italian emergence of "neostandard" Italian? Italian abroad.
179 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss grounds for comparison and the space of comparison in the context of post-colonization and post-imperiality, and the end of comparison.
Abstract: Table of Contents Acknowledgements Preface CHAPTER 1 Grounds for Comparison Comparative Reaches Unimagined The Time of Comparison The Space of Comparison Incommensurability : Postcoloniality and the Ends of Comparison CHAPTER 2 Ungrounding Comparison: Conrad and Colonial Narration Imperial Comparison Marlow and The Rhetoric of Dissimilation Foiled Communities CHAPTER 3 The Empire's Loose Ends: Dissimilated Readings Dissimilation Dissimilation and Com-paraison Relation CHAPTER 4 Ruined Comparatives: Epic Similitude and the Pedagogy of Poetic Space in Derek Walcott's Omeros History and The Place Without People: Amnesia and Analogy Forgettable Vacations and Metaphor in Ruins Homeric Similes and Omeric Similitudes: A Contingent Excursus Pedagogy of Poetic Space ("Our Last Resort As Much As Yours, Omeros") Envoi CHAPTER 5 The Gift of Belittling All Things: Catastrophic Miniaturization in Aim' C'saire and Simone Schwarz-Bart Geometries of Blood The Plenitude of Smallness Irreducibility Catastrophe and Finitude The Horizon's Hero: Monocosm to Microcosm REFERENCE LIST Index
119 citations
Book•
30 Mar 2015TL;DR: The authors proposed a novel analysis that handles dissimilation as the avoidance of surface correspondence relationships, based on recent work in Agreement By Correspondence to show that dissimilation is a natural outcome predicted by the same theory of surface correspondence.
Abstract: The most comprehensive work on dissimilation (the avoidance or repair of combinations of similar sounds) to date, this book proposes a novel analysis that handles dissimilation as the avoidance of surface correspondence relationships. It draws on recent work in Agreement By Correspondence to show that dissimilation is a natural outcome predicted by the same theory of Surface Correspondence. The theory is developed in more detail than ever before, and its predictions are tested and evaluated through ten in-depth analyses of diverse languages from Quechua to Kinyarwanda, together with a typological survey of over 150 dissimilation patterns drawn from over 130 languages, from Acehnese to Zulu. The book redefines the core of Surface Correspondence theory to a level of formal specificity and theoretical precision surpassing previous work. The book's findings are made more accessible by numerous examples featuring data from 47 languages from around the world.
110 citations
TL;DR: The concept of action at a distance was introduced by as discussed by the authors, who argued that it is inconceivable that inanimate brute matter should, without the mediation, of something else which is not material, operate upon and affect other matter without mutual contact.
Abstract: Under the traditional titles of Assimilation and Dissimilation, we are presented with two linguistic phenomena apparently involving a principle similar to that which is known in physical science as ” action at a distance ”—-regularly in the latter case, occasionally in the former (under special titles, such as “dilation”, “Fernassimilation”). The classical example of this type of assimilation is provided by the Sanskrit “cerebralization” (nati) of n, with reference to which the term “action a distance” has, in fact, been used. In connection with the physical principle, it may be of interest to recall Newton's words:—“It is inconceivable that inanimate brute matter should, without the mediation, of something else which is not material, operate upon and affect other matter without mutual contact.”Speech-sound, of course, is not “brute matter”, and it would be a dangerous and unnecessary principle to submit linguistics to physical criteria, but Newton's uneasiness may at least serve to lead us to a reconsideration of similar postulates of our own science. Amongst these the conception of an articulation A at one point in the temporal dimension exercising a form of “gravitational influence” upon an articulation B at a distant point would appear to be one that is only tolerable faute de mieux.The whole principle of assimilation in descriptive linguistics has already been assailed more than once, on the ground that the implied change is only metaphorical, having reference to a hypothetical “basic” form derived from the consideration of other contexts or of earlier stages of the language, and leading to such definitions as “the extension of an element of articulation out-side its proper sphere”.
106 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2024 | 12 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2022 | 16 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2020 | 5 |