Strength relations in phonology

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This collection of papers centers on phonological strength, showcasing current research across various theoretical frameworks. It demonstrates how strength relations can enhance explanations within phonological grammar. The papers present insightful data from diverse languages, including English, Dutch, German, Greek, Japanese, Bambara, Yuhup, Nivkh, Sesotho, and other Bantu systems. These examples illustrate that strength differences are crucial for analyzing phonological patterns, encompassing segmental asymmetry, language acquisition, pitch accent patterns, and tonal phenomena. Contributors advocate for a phonological approach to strength differences, highlighting how strength-based analyses can be applied within models like Dependency Phonology, Government Phonology, Strict CV Phonology, and Optimality Theory. Many papers offer structural accounts where strength relations reflect asymmetric licensing between representation units. This volume captures contemporary perspectives on phonological strength, indicating that it serves as a unifying thread across various seemingly unrelated patterns and processes in phonology.