Blackwell Reference Online

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The role of phonological rules is to express generalizations about phonological structure. Rules are also ordinarily taken to represent specific derivational instructions, or steps along the path relating deep to surface representations. In this capacity, certain of the rules may affect the application of others, either increasing or decreasing the number of forms to which the others may apply. Under the assumptions of conventional generative phonology as laid out in Chomsky and Halle (1968), the individual rules are all applied sequentially, arrayed in an extrinsically ordered, or language-specifically determined linear list. With respect to a rule A ordered before another rule B in such a list, A will bear one of three possible relations to B (terms adapted from Kiparsky 1968): 1  A feeds B just in case the application of A increases the number of forms to which B applies. 2  A bleeds B just in case the application of A decreases the number of forms to which B applies. 3  A does not affect B just in case A neither feeds nor bleeds B. For example, contraction of the copula in English (e.g., Bill is here → Bill's [z] here ) creates a syllabically stranded fricative, /z/, which cliticizes onto the preceding noun; if this noun happens to end in a voiceless segment, then the /z/ further devoices to /s/ because of the application of progressive devoicing among obstruents ... log in or subscribe to read full text