From Binary Features to Elements: The Case of Scandinavian

Abstract

In this paper, we show how the Contrastivist Hypothesis (Hall 2007, Dresher 2008) can be amended using Element Theory (KLV 1988; Angoujard 1997; Scheer 1999; Backley 2011) and Government Phonology (KLV 1990; Lowenstamm 1996; Scheer 2004). Given the richness of the phenomenology of Nordic languages, this family constitutes our testing ground. While one might expect five different hierarchies, given that Scandinavian languages are distinct languages, what we actually find is one unique hierarchy where the same features are used in the same order. However, if we want a full understanding of the Nordic phenomenology and if we maintain the hierarchy exactly as it is, two difficulties appear: the first one involves motivation, the second one naturalness. In order to overcome the two kinds of difficulties mentioned above, we aim to develop a representation of the obstruent inventory based on unary primes using Element Theory and Government Phonology. The results we get from this hierarchy cannot be considered independently from the syllabic structure. Therefore, we propose a rereading of the phenomenology of Nordic that connects the new elementary representations that we posit to the syllabic constraints. As a consequence, we explore new hypotheses concerning the phonological activity in Scandinavian languages.