Place-name lexicalization in Akan: on the segmental and prosodic processes and constraint

Abstract

A significant condition for place-name formation in Akan is the preservation of marked, lexically-significant, segmental and prosodic items over their unmarked counterparts. Much of the alteration processes are at the stem-stem boundary where these two inputs are joined into a single word. It is observed that, in principle, there is a four-syllable requirement on partative-based place-names. Also, *[+high][-high] and *[-high][-high] are impermissible vowel-sequences that output forms must avoid. These requirements underlie observed segmental and prosodic processes in place-name lexicalization. Lexicalization involves processes such as deletion, compensatory vowel lengthening, vowel and consonant assimilation and glide/onset formation. These processes apply and interact significantly in ways that sustain marked sonorous segment over their unmarked counterparts, and unpredictable units over predictable units. A constraint-based account of the phenomenon reveals this interaction of constraints in partative-based place-name lexicalization in Akan: *[-hi][-hi], [+low/+RT/+LEX], *x<3ơ  >> (*[+hi][-hi]),[1] [+low/-RT/-LEX], [+high/+RT/+LEX]  >> [-hi/-lo/+RT/+LEX] >> [-hi/-lo/-RT/-LEX]. The ranking argument shows, in a vowel-sequence, the preference for: (i) a low root-vowel over a low affix-vowel; (ii) a low (root or affix) vowel over a non-low (root or affix) vowel) such that a mid-vowel deletes (either as V₁ or V₂). A high vowel as V₁ instigates a glide-onset to insulates itself from deletion with the low vowel (i.e., [-Hi]) being the immediately succeeding sound.