ISCA Archive ICSLP 1992
ISCA Archive ICSLP 1992

How shallow is phonology: declarative phonologies meet fast speech

Geoffrey S. Nathan

In recent work a number of researchers have suggested that it is possible to build a phonological theory in which the process metaphor is no longer necessary. The motivation for this sudden rush to non-process phonology has been the interest in neural network models, which allow only declarative-type statements. This paper presents evidence for multiple levels in phonology, using examples from English fast speech phenomena that suggest the limitation to an exact number of levels in non-process phonology is in error. The models require that particular rules appear on particular levels. If, in pre-declarative terms, a rule precedes another, the first must state relationships between the morphophonemic and phonemic level, while the second must state relationships between the phonemic and phonetic level. I show that, given these assumptions, the single process of Flap Deletion, applying in allegro American English, must be on both levels, leading to the Declarative Phonology equivalent of an ordering paradox.