Consonant geminates: Towards a theory of integrity and inalterability

This dissertation investigates the geminate consonant phenomena known as integrity and inalterability with an eye toward providing a general characterization of geminate behavior as well as a deeper understanding of geminates in a principled and systematic way under the Optimality Theoretic framework. The fundamental proposal made in this dissertation is to have the range of surface geminate patterns follow from varying the ranking of key constraints. Depending on the ranking of the key constraints, languages select different output forms from the same input form. Thus, the key constraints not only conspire to produce anti-integrity/anti-inalterability effects, but they also determine what a language does "do" with its input geminates (i.e. integrity/inalterability), giving rise to different resolutions to the geminate puzzle. A chapter is devoted to an indepth discussion of integrity effects in geminates. For this purpose, seven key constraints are proposed: MAX-IO, DEP-IO, ONS, PROSHIER, ALIGN(WD-R, M-R), PLONS, NOBREAKING. By varying the key constraints, we can make several predictions about the possible geminate patterns according to the positions in which they occur. Several patterns are exemplified in this dissertation. We have also provided a discussion of the gaps between what is predicted to exist and what cases are attested. Another chapter is devoted to a more detailed analysis of inalterability effects in geminates. In particular, it is claimed that geminate inalterability matters only when we deal with weakening processes (e.g. spirantization, sonorantization, etc.). It is also proposed that the constraints IDENT-IO(μSF) and NOBREAKING play a pivotal role in explaining typological differences between weakening and assimilation, and other types of inalterability/anti-inalterability concerning geminates. The most interesting part of this dissertation is that we can explain both integrity/inalterability and anti-integrity/anti-inalterability cases uniformly depending on the ranking of the key constraints, without assuming any ad hoc conditions or procedures. Thus, those anti-integrity and anti-inalterability effects are produced as a natural consequence of the interaction of the constraints, just as in the cases of integrity and inalterability. Finally, unlike previous rule-based approaches, our theory allows for a unified account of integrity and inalterability through the interaction of a set of key constraints, making predictions available about both phenomena