| 研究実績の概要 |
This research contributes to the development of the Element Theory (ET) model of segmental structure. ET already offers a strong alternative to distinctive feature theories, but it has the potential to explain non-segmental aspects of phonological structure too. This work investigates how ET expresses information about prosodic domains (syllables, feet, words), showing how this development of the ET model can enrich our understanding of phonological representations and processes. By integrating segmental and prosodic information, ET strengthens its ability to represent the structure of word-sized units in all languages.
During the first year of this research project I conducted a thorough survey and evaluation of the ET literature, focusing on variation in the use of head-dependency relations between structural units. This allowed me to initiate an original line of research into how asymmetric relations between elements can be applied to prosodic as well as segmental structure. At the segmental level I have shown how head-dependency can account for the distribution of labial consonants in Japanese, and at the prosodic level I have presented arguments for replacing traditional structural units (e.g. rhyme, syllable, foot) with elements. This marks the first stage in my plan to integrate segmental and prosodic structure into a unified structure. My results have been published at 7 international conferences as chapters in 4 edited volumes of research papers.
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