The Orthography-dependent Approach to Velar Softening in OT
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The central aim of this study is to propose and support an orthography-dependent approach to velar softening in English, demonstrating how the identity of letters such as ‘c’ and ‘g’ interacts with morphophonological processes across both suffixation and prefixation. This article addresses the often-overlooked relationship between orthography and phonology in English. While velar softening has traditionally been analyzed as a phonological process triggered by specific vowel environments, certain exceptions and inconsistencies in real word data prompted a deeper examination of how letter forms themselves, rather than purely phonetic features, may influence pronunciation. By grounding the analysis in the framework of Optimality Theory, this study introduces new constraint rankings that prioritize orthographic triggers and offers insight into how these mechanisms are represented in the mental lexicon. Special attention is given to patterns that have traditionally been viewed as exceptions, including cases involving the suffix {-ize}, word-final silent ‘e’, and velar softening within complex prefixation environments. The analysis shows that orthography is not merely a surface-level feature but a structurally significant component in the phonological realization of English words.
Abstract
The central aim of this study is to propose and support an orthography-dependent approach to velar softening in English, demonstrating how the identity of letters such as ‘c’ and ‘g’ interacts with morphophonological processes across both suffixation and prefixation. This article addresses the often-overlooked relationship between orthography and phonology in English. While velar softening has traditionally been analyzed as a phonological process triggered by specific vowel environments, certain exceptions and inconsistencies in real word data prompted a deeper examination of how letter forms themselves, rather than purely phonetic features, may influence pronunciation. By grounding the analysis in the framework of Optimality Theory, this study introduces new constraint rankings that prioritize orthographic triggers and offers insight into how these mechanisms are represented in the mental lexicon. Special attention is given to patterns that have traditionally been viewed as exceptions, including cases involving the suffix {-ize}, word-final silent ‘e’, and velar softening within complex prefixation environments. The analysis shows that orthography is not merely a surface-level feature but a structurally significant component in the phonological realization of English words.