Re: NATLANG: Vowel harmony rules?

trackso wrote:

<<Phonological methodology is a bit like mathematics: there are not
"accidents" as 2 times 2 is always 4. If you choose these
principles you have to cover also "exceptions" (when 2 times 2
_seems_ to be 5) by rules.>>

There most certainly *are* accidents: They're called history.   There's
no phonological reason why the plural of "ox" is "oxen" and not "oxes".
Historically, there, of course, is a reason.   Synchronically, though, if
you try to find one, you'll be doing more harm than good.   This is why
forming a raising rule (or "non-lowering") wouldn't be a good idea.
Especially since it would only be for one form.

Historically, there is probably a reason that the A vowel raised to become
an I vowel in a *very nearly* specific environment.   Since the environment
is not exact, though, positing a phonological rule, which is dependent on
sychronic understanding, would simply be wrong.   There is no phonological
rule at play: It's just lexical.   Looking at the environment, though, will
certainly
be a clue to a learner of the language.   So, for example, if they encounter
a verb
they've never heard before that's monosyllabic and ends in /l/ or /r/,
chances
are if they add the aorist suffix it'll be /-Ir/.   But they could be wrong,
and since
they *could* be, positing a phonological synchronic rule would not account
for
the real-life facts of Turkish.

<<Of course, when you have too much trouble with these "accidental"
rules, you may consider that the methodology you used is
inadequate. But I think that it is not the case yet: it is still
worth rather introducing a new vowel harmony cathegory than to
reject phonological approach.>>

I don't think it's worth introducing a new vowel harmony category
that will only exist for a certain number of words and only when they're
monosyllabic and simplex (i.e., they're not stem + affix, but just stem),
that will only explain the irregularity of one suffix.

-David
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"sunly eleSkarez ygralleryf ydZZixelje je ox2mejze."
"No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn."

-Jim Morrison

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