(*)ABA in multidimensional paradigms: A Harmonic Grammar-based account

Abstract

[joint work with Zhouyi Sun (MIT)]

In piece-based  realizational models of morphology, a fundamental question concerns the assignment and conditioning of phonological content to morphemes represented as feature bundles. This talk will show the limitations of Underspecification (Halle 1997; Bobaljik 2012) and Overspecification (Caha 2009; Starke 2009) approaches in deriving (*)ABA patterns of contextual allomorphy in multidimensional paradigms (Christopoulos & Zompì 2022; Caha 2023).  Our proposal essentially combines Underspecification and Overspecification (cf. Ackema & Neeleman 2005; Wolf 2008; Müller 2020) and equates exponent selection to finding the ‘cheapest path’ for each feature bundle in a Harmonic Grammar framework.  Lastly, the talk will survey the typology of (*)ABA patterns of root suppletion and will argue that the proposed model imposes appropriate restrictions on accidental homophony which derive the correct typology.