Linguistics

Below you are given a table of consonant alternations from the noun paradigm of a Senegalese dialect of Fula, a
Northern Atlantic language of West Africa. Fula noun classes are marked by suffixes, but for many nouns,
different initial consonants accompany the various various in the nominal paradigm. The two classes for each
noun are chosen to show these initial consonant differences. For this problem you only need to consider initial
consonants–Fula also has all sorts of other things going on with the root and suffix!
Alternant 1 Alternant 2
1. pullo
pa.bi
Fula person
toads
ful.e
fabru
Fula people
toad
2. colli
cabbi
birds
sticks
sonndu
sawru
bird
stick
3. ko..e
ka..o
heads
pagan
ho.re
ha..e
head
pagans
4. bahel
bobi
small beard
mortars
wa.re
wowru
beard
mortar
5. dawa..e
debbo
dogs
woman
rawa.ndu
rew.e
dog
women
6. .a..e
.ol.e
jujubes
areas between villages
ya..re
yolnde
jujube
area between villages
7a.
7b.
gitel
gelle..e
gum.o
gorko
gamel
gabbe
small eye
dum palm fruits
blind person
man
small tortoise
grains
yitere
yelle.re
wum.e
wor.e
.amre
.abbere
eye
dum palm fruit
blind people
men
tortoise
a grain
8. meselle
nagge
.a.ki
.ate
lu.me
needles
cow
bees
bites
markets
meselal
na.i
.a.ku
.atere
lu.mo
needle
cattle
bee
a bite
market
9. .alli
.em.e
..eka
bodies
tongues
brother-in-law
.anndu
.em.gal
..ekira..e
body
tongue
brothers-in-law
10. teppel
toni
small claw
lips
teppere
tondu
claw
lip
On the basis of the above data, do the following, do each of the following:
(1) Write a rule in distinctive features to account for the corresponding initial consonants in (1)-(3).
(2) Write a rule in distinctive features to account for the corresponding consonants in (4)-(6).
(3) Discuss whether your rules account for the data in (7) or what is needed to account for (7a) vs. (7b).
(4) Discuss whether the fact that there is no initial consonant change in (8)-(10) makes sense or whether
you need to add something to the analysis.
In order to help yourself do the problem, you may wish to start by filling in the following table with all of
the occurring consonants. I have put in a few to identify what is meant by some of the phonetic symbols.
2
Labial Alveolar Palatal* Velar Glottal
Plain stops c .
Implosive j.
Fricatives
Nasals
Tap ~ trill
Lateral
Glides
*This dialect has true palatal stops; other dialects may have alveopalatal affricates.
2. MORE ON YAO NASALS
Recall the Yao [Bantu] data from (19) on Handout #03. It turns out that there is more! Do each of the following
four steps of the problem. Note: Follow the order and do each step one at a time, which has been designed to
guide you. (VV = a long vowel, c, j = [tS], [dZ], [L] = high tone, but not relevant for the assignment.
Step I. On the basis of the data in (1) and (2): (i) Propose an underlying representation (UR) of the locative prefix
meaning einf. (ii) Provide the rules needed to account for the observed allomorphs. (The nasal and vowel prefixes
mark noun classes.) NB. Vowel length (written VV) is contrastive before a single C, but not before an NC cluster.
(1) m-busi egoatf muu-m-busi ein the goatf
n-dinu eporcupinef muu-n-dinu ein the porcupinef
P-jiiNga ebicyclef muu-P-jiiNga ein the bicyclef
N-goma edrumf muu-N-goma ein the drumf
(2) i-gaasa epalm of handf mw-ii-gaasa ea handfulf
i-tala epathf mw-ii-tala ein the pathf
a-leendo eguestsf mw-aa-leendo ein the guestsf
a-savi ewizardf mw-aa-savi ein the wizardsf
Step II. On the basis of the following additional data: (i) State whether you still accept the UR of the locative prefix
you proposed in Step I. If not, state why not and give your justification. If yes: (ii) Provide the rules needed to
derive the new allomorphs of the locative prefix from your UR. (iii) Using the concepts developed in class,
discuss the nature of the interaction of your rules with the rules we previously established for Yao in class. (N`
means that the nasal is syllabic.)
(3) peete efinger ringf m`-peete ein the finger ringf
tu-wupa elittle bonesf n`-tu-wupa ein the little bonesf
ci-pi edarknessf P`-ci-pi ein darknessf
ka-diilole emirrorf N`-ka-diilole ein the mirrorf
(4) booma egovernment buildingf m`-booma ein the government buildingf
dy-oola efrogf n`-dy-oola ein the frogf
juuga egame of cardsf P`-juuga ein the game of cardsf
gologolo eweaself N`-gologolo ein the weaself
(5) ma-luma ejointf m`-ma-luma ein the jointf
nuundu emothf n`-nuundu ein the mothf
Piidi ehairsf P`-Piidi ein the hairsf
Noombe ecow, oxf N`-Noombe ein the cow, oxf
(6) lu-piinda ebag of saltf n`-nu-piinda ein the bag of saltf
(7) siinga ebow stringsf n`-siinga ein the bow stringsf
3
Step III. On the basis of the following (and final) set of data: (i) Determine what the UR is of the 3rd person
singular prefix meaning ehim/herf; (ii) Comparing these forms with the Yao data on Handout #03, present at
least two arguments why the 3rd sg. prefix cannot have the same UR as the first person singular prefix emef.
(8) ku-peleka eto sendf ku-m`-peleka eto send him/herf
ku-tuma eto orderf ku-n`-tuma eto order him/herf
ku-capila eto washf ku-P`-capila eto wash him/herf
ku-kweela eto climb onf ku-N`-kweela eto climb on him/herf
(9) ku-buucila eto be angry withf ku-m`-buucila eto be angry with him/herf
ku-dipa eto payf ku-n`-dipa eto pay him/herf
ku-jiima eto begrudgef ku-P`-jiima eto begrudge him/herf
ku-goneka eto make s.o. sleepf ku-N`-goneka eto make him/her sleepf
(10) ku-mala eto finishf ku-m`-mala eto finish him/herf
ku-nema eto not do correctlyf ku-n`-nema efor him/her to not do correctlyf
ku-Pala eto cut in small piecesf ku-P`-Pala eto cut him/her into small piecesf
ku-Naandila eto play around withf ku-N`-Naandila eto play around with him/herf
(11) ku-lapa eto admiref ku-n`-napa eto admire him/herf
(12) ku-soosa eto look forf ku-n`-soosa eto look for him/herf
3. FEATURE PRACTICE.
Assuming that the input underlying inventory is approximately the same as in English, write rules in distinctive
features for each of the rules below. Try using binary features wherever you can; if problems arise with binary
features, point these out. (You can treat affricates as [+delayed release], although wefll talk about them in class
this week.) As in other data, [y] = a glide. The guiding principles in writing such rules are:
(i) To the left of the arrow, put only the features that are needed to uniquely identify the input segments.
(ii) To the right of the arrow, put all of the features that are needed to capture the changes.
(iii) In the environment, put only the features that are needed to identify the conditioning segments
Feel free to compare the features in the Hayes textbook with what occurs on the last page of Handout #03.
(1) /l/ ¨ [d] / ___ [i, y]
(2) /k, g/ ¨ [tS, dZ] / ___ [i, u]
(3) /w/ ¨ O / ___ [p, b, m, k, g, N]
(4) /b, d, g/ ¨ [B, D, .] / V ___ V
(5) /p, t, k/ ¨ [b, d, g] / [m, n, N] ___
(6) /i, e/ ¨ [., L] / ___ [k, g, N]
(7) /a/ ¨ [e] / ___ C i
(8) /u/ ¨ [u] / [ts&, dz&, y] ___

Part I: Pronoun systems and features (8 pts)
1) Pronouns in Katu (Mon-Khmer)
SINGULAR DUAL PLURAL
1st exclusive ku yu’a yi
1st inclusive * nhang he
2nd mai nhu’a pe
3rd animate dó nhi ~ dó pi ~ dó
3rd inanimate dó dó dó
A. Provide feature structures for nhi and dó. Assume that Katu pronouns have the same basic
features as English pronouns: [CAT N; SUBCAT +D]. Use the features 1ex, 1in, and dual where
necessary. Use underspecification of features where relevant. Assume case is unmarked. (4pts)
2) Pronouns in Biak (Austronesian)
SINGULAR DUAL TRIAL PLURAL
1st exclusive aiá nu n’o n’o
1st inclusive * ‘u ‘o ‘o
2nd áu nhu’a m’o m’o
3rd animate i su s’o si
3rd inanimate i su s’o na
B. Provide a feature structure for s’o and si, following the directions above. (4pts)
Part II: Nominal arguments in English (12 pts)
1) Lakoff’s discussion of metaphor
2) the discussion of metaphor
3) the discussion
4) Brutus’s betrayal of Caesar
5) the betrayal of Caesar
6) the betrayal
7) Bill’s picture of Sarah/Chicago
8) the picture of Sarah/Chicago
9) the picture
A. Briefly describe the syntactic and morphological distribution of EXTERNAL and INTERNAL
arguments in English noun phrases. (2pts)
B. What is the difference between nominal arguments and verbal arguments in English, as
illustrated by the examples above? (2pts)
C. Provide feature structures for discussion and betrayal. Use parentheses e.g. [SUBCAT (DP) ]to
indicate that an argument is optional. (4pt)
10) ??the metaphor’s discussion
11) Caesar’s betrayal
12) Sarah’s picture
13) ??Chicago’s picture
D. What do examples (10-13) illustrate about the external argument of English noun phrases?
Revise the feature structure for discussion to capture this generalization

ORDER THIS ESSAY HERE NOW AND GET A DISCOUNT !!!