Phonological Chain Shifts in Acquisition: Evidence for Lexicon Optimization

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Phonological Chain Shifts in Acquisition
Evidence for Lexicon Optimization
Marc Ettlinger University of California,
Berkeley marce_at_berkeley.edu
Abstract The phonological chain shifts exhibited
by children during language development are
challenging for theories of phonology because
they reflect an opacity a generalization that
isnt surface true. Based on diary studies of the
phonological development of several children,
aged 10-20, I propose an account for chain
shifts of this sort by suggesting that they
reflect multiple stages of lexicon optimization
(Prince Smolensky 1993/2002).

• Previous Approaches
• Kirchner (1995) Distintial faithfulness
• Don't go 2 steps along a scale.
• Dinnsen et. al. (2001) Constraint conjunction
• IdentstridentIdent(Coronal) Don't change
  both manner and place.
• But No positive evidence/ not in adult
  grammars. Presents problems for learning
  algorithms / credit
• Vanderweide (2006), Jesney (2007) Input
  prominence.
• Identcor(strident) Coronal preserved on
  segments that are underlying stridents.
  Coronality of strident is more distinct.
• But Refers to input specification of manner
  (Archangelli Suzuki, 1997).
• General problem Gradual diffusion of these
  changes through the lexicon.
• Additional Evidence
• New words
• Stage 1(10-14) Stage 2(14-17) Stage 3
  (17)
• cookie k?.ki k?.ki k?.ki
• teeth kik kik tif
• sock n/a t?k t?k
• table n/a tej.bo tej.bo

• Application to acquisition data
• Stage 1 COR ID(place)
• /ti?/?kik?/kik/
• Stage 2 ID(place)COR strident IDstri
• /kik/?kik /s?k/?t?k?/t?k/
• /tejbl/?tejbo
• Stage 3 ID(place)COR IDstristrident
• Heard ti??/tif/ s?k?/t?k/
• Conclusion
• Chain shifts the result of lexical inertia
• Lexical inertia formalized with repeated stages
  of lexicon optimization

• Introduction
• Phonological chain shifts during child
  development A number of synchronic chain shifts
  have been documented during child language
  acquisition.
• Chain shift A?B, B?C, A?C
• Amahl (age 22-211 / Smith, 1973 Macken, 1980)
• 1) Stopping (all conexts) 2) Velarization
  (before liquids for Amahl)
• a) p?dl? 'puzzle a) p?gl? puddle
• b) p?ntl? pencil b) b?kl? bottle
• Chain shift /z/?d, /d/?g, /z/?g
• Subject 33 (age 54 / Dinnsen Barlow, 1998
  Hale Reiss, 1998)
• /s/?? 4) /?/? f
• a) ? ?n sun a) f?m thumb
• b) du? juice b) bæf bath
• Chain shift /s/??, / ? /?f, /s/?f
• Present study