Abstract
This paper analyses opaque interactions in the Anaan language. The study set out to identify the cases of opacity in Anaan in order to examine the constraints that condition opacity in the language. Data for this study which were phrases and associative constructions were obtained by competent speakers of the language from Ika, Abak and Ukanafun Local Government Areas, who were carefully selected with regard to theirage, gender, level of education, and their years of residing in their speech community. The study adopted constraints in optimality theory propounded by Alan Prince and Paul Smolensky as explanatory device to examine the constraints that condition opacity in the language. It was discovered from analysis that a back vowel at morpheme boundary position and a front vowel determine which vowel to be deleted, of which, a back vowel is often susceptible to deletion.The back vowel /ͻ̀/ at morpheme boundary position with the N. CV syllable structure, occurring with the front vowel /e/ is opaque to deletion, thus, conditioning opacity in the language. Normally, the occurrence of a stop in intervocalic position often results in the weakening of the sound flanked by two vowels. On the contrary, the result of this study showed that a stop can be flanked by two vowels in intervocalic position without it being weakened in the process of partial reduplication of verbs. This morpho-phonological process conditions opacity in the weakening of reduplicant morphemes. This paper concludes that the Anaa𝑛̅ language is affected by other opaque processes, calling for more studies.
Introduction
Phonology, a term in linguistics, refers, according to Adrian Akmajian, Richard Demers, Ann Farmer, and Robert Harnish (2010, p.109), to ‘the description of sounds of a particular language and the rules governing the distribution of those sounds.’ In addition, they also define phonology as ‘that part of general theory of human language that is concerned with the universal properties of natural language sound systems’. The main task of phonology, in the words of Philip Anagbogu, B. M. Mbah, and Cecilia Eme (2010, p. 96), is ‘to understand and describe how a sequence of sounds and the accompanying prosodic features can convey meaning in language’. In understanding and describing sounds, their function, behaviour and organisation as linguistic items, as opposed to phonetics which is rather a more ‘neutral’ study of the sounds themselves, phonology establishes procedures or processes available in the phonology of any language (cf. Ayo Osisanwo, (2009, p. pp 13-15). In effect, it is based on a theory of what every speaker of a language unconsciously knows about the sound patterns of that language.
Content
Imelda Udoh (2003, p.32) defines ‘phonological processes as the transformation of one representation into another under certain conditions.’ Some of these processes include: deletion, assimilation, weakening and harmony insertion.Some of these processes may or may not apply in a language, thereby creating opaque interactions in the language. The aforementioned properties of phonological processes establish what is termed phonological opacity. Phonological opacity is a condition whereby a phonological rule or process fails to apply in a given context. According to John McCarthy (2002), a phonological rule B of the form A→B/C__Dis opaque if there are surface structures with either of the following characteristics: (i) instances of A in the environment C___D (ii) instances derived by B that occur in environments other than C___D. He further states that a phonological rule B is opaque when the applicability or application of B is (somehow) obscured on the surface. Phonological opacity deals with under-application and over-application of a rule. These opaque interactions result from counter-feeding and counter-bleeding.
Conclusion
So far, opaque interactions have been identified in Anaañ through vowel deletion and weakening in the process of partial reduplication process. This confirms that opacity in any natural language may be discovered in any phonological processes that pervades natural language. Results from the present study with insights from OT tables show that the process of deletion may be opaque as a result of the N.CV syllable structure, of which, the back vowel /ᴐ/ cannot be deleted at morpheme boundary.However, the case of opacity in vowel deletion may vary in other languages. Thus, with insights from optimality theory framework, this study has revealed a case where a phonological rule fails to apply (opacity) even when the environment satisfies its conditions. Findings also revealed that opacity applies on weakening in Anaañ. Weakening is a phonological process which occurswhena stop is flanked by two vowels in an intervocalic position. On the contrary, the process of partial reduplication also has a stop in an intervocalic position and satisfies the requirements of the environment and is not weakened, therefore, conditions opacity in weakening in Anaañ. These findings support the hypotheses: what are the opaque interactions in the language and what are the constraints that condition opacity in the language?
References
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Udoh, I. (2003). An Introduction to Phonemic Analysis.Fruities’ Publication, Uyo, 136p.
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Akpabio, S. (2020). Improve your oral English fluency: A practical approach. Planeyo Publishers, Uyo, 123p.
Anagbogu, P. N., Mbah, B. M. and Eme, B. M. (2010). Introduction to linguistics. Amaka Dreams Ltd, Akwa, 245p.
Bakovic, E. (2005). Antigemination, assimilation and the determination of identity. ´ Phonology 22(3):279–315.
Bakovic, E. (2007). A revised typology of opaque generalisations. Phonology 24(2):217–259.
Chomsky, N., & Halle, M. (1968). The sound pattern of English. New York: Harper and Row. (Reprinted: MIT Press, 1991.)
Eka, D. (1979) Phonological foundations: English.Scholars Press (Nig.) Ltd, Uyo, 153p.
Essien, O. (1990). A grammar of the Ibibio language. University Press PLC, Ibadan, 171p.
Greenberg, J.H. (1963). The languages of Africa, The Hague, Mouton & Co.
Goldsmith, J. A. (1990/2010). Autosegmental and metrical phonology. Oxford: Blackwell.
Hall, E. Jurgec, P. and Kawahara, S. (2012). Opaque allomorph selection in Japanese and Harmonic Serialism: A
reply to Kurisu (2012): https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319059646_Opaque_allomorph_selection_in Japanese_and_Harmonic_Serialism_A_reply_to_Kurisu_2012 [accessed Feb 01 2025].
Ito, J. (1986/1988). Syllable theory in prosodic phonology. New York: Garland.
Ito, J. (1989). A prosodic theory of epenthesis. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory 7:217
Ito, J. and Armin, M. (1998). Markedness and word structure: OCP effects in Japanese. Ms. Available on Rutgers Optimality Archive, ROA 255, http://roa.rutgers.edu. [accessed Feb
01, 2025]
Kurisu, K. (2012) Fell-swoop onset deletion. Linguistic Inquiry 43: 309–321.
Kiparsky, P. and Pajusalu, K. (2000/2003). Towards a typology of disharmony. The linguistic review 20:217-241.
McCarthy, J. 2002. A thematic guide to optimality theory. Cambridge University Press.
Osisanwo, A. (2009). Fundamentals of English Phonetics and Phonology. Lagos, Femolus-Fetop Publishers
Prince, A. and Smolenskly,P. (1993). Optimality theory: Constraint interaction in generative grammar. Manuscript, Rutgers University and Johns Hopkins. Published in 2004 with Wiley-Blackwell, 304p.
Sasaki, K. (2006). Non-surface-apparent opacity in Standard Japanese Morphology. In Experimental phonetics & General Linguistics, Tokyodo, 348–360.
Sasaki, Kan (2008) Hardening alternation in the Mitsukaido dial
Smolensky, P. (1993). Harmony, Markedness, and Phonological Activity. Ms., University of Colorado, Boulder. (available as ROA-87 from the Rutgers Optimality Archive).
Smolensky, P. (1995). ‘On the Internal Structure of the Constraint Component Con of UG’, handout of talk presented at UCLA, April 7, 1995.
Smolensky, P. (1997). ‘Constraint Interaction in Generative Grammar II: Local Conjunction (or, Random Rules in Universal Grammar)’, paper presented at the Hopkins Optimality Theory Workshop, University of Maryland Mayfest. Baltimore.
Udoh, I. (2003). An Introduction to Phonemic Analysis.Fruities’ Publication, Uyo, 136p.
Udondata, J. (2006). A Grammar of Anaañ language. Joe Graph Publications, Ikot Ekpene, 142p.
Urua, E. (2000). Ibibio Phonetics andPhonology. M & J Grand Orbit Communications Ltd, Port
Harcourt, 218p. ____(1996)b. ‘Languages or Dialects? The Linguistic Situation in Akwa Ibom State.’Journal of Humaities Vol.4, 50-65.