Suffix-centered allomorphy in Korean

Abstract

This paper is to show that problems related with suffix allomorph selection cannot be solved at one swoop and to suggest that the job be divided between morphology and phonology in sequential steps. Drawing on the fact that neither rule-based analyses positing suffix-initial // for alternating suffixes in the underlying representation nor OT-based ones positing both allomorphs in the input in adherence to Richness of the Base cannot describe suffix allomorph selection adequately, the study allows only one morph in the input. The inconsistent behavior of /l/-final stems in taking C- and V-initial suffixes and the existence of non-alternating suffixes composed of similar segments lead to the argument that allomorph selection is suffix-centered, not stem-centered. It is proposed that each allomorph of alternating suffixes is subcategorized with respect to the features of its preceding stem-final segment. Particularly, the revival of the [vocalic] feature is instrumental to the explanation of the inconsistent behavior of the stem-final /l/, which forms a natural class of [+vocalic] with vowels and liquid /l/ and forms another one of [+consonantal] with all consonants.