Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-89wxm Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-05T21:53:47.464Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A government-based analysis of the ‘mora’ in Japanese*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 October 2008

Jonathan Kaye  and
Shohei Yoshida
Shohei Yoshida
Affiliation:
Australian National University
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

The mora is defined as something of which a long syllable ((C)VV or (C)VC) consists of two and a short syllable ((C)V) consists of one (McCawley 1968). According to some linguists, languages are classified into two groups: those that are best analysed in terms of morae and those that should be analysed in terms of syllables. Japanese is frequently cited as an example of a language that belongs to the former group. However, if the ultimate goal of the field of phonology is to seek for a group of principles that make up Universal Phonology, a unit such as the mora, which is indispensable in some languages but completely irrelevant in other languages, is an unwelcome innovation.

Type
Phonological government
Information
Phonology , Volume 7 , Issue 1 , May 1990 , pp. 331 - 351
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Abe, Yasuaki (1987). Metrical structure and compounds in Japanese. In Imai, T. & Saito, M. (eds.) Issues in Japanese linguistics. Dordrecht: Foris. 5–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Charette, Monik (1988). Some constraints on governing relations in phonology. PhD dissertation, McGill University.Google Scholar
Charette, Monik (1989). The minimality condition in phonology. JL 25. 159–187.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haraguchi, Shosuke (1977). The tone pattern of Japanese: an autosegmental theory of tonology. Tokyo: Kaitakusha.Google Scholar
Itô, Junko (1986). Syllabic theory in prosodic phonology. PhD dissertation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst.Google Scholar
Kaye, Jonathan, Jean, Lowestamm & Jean-Roger, Vergnaud (1985). The internal structure of phonological elements: a theory of charm and government. Phonology Yearbook 2. 305–328.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kaye, Jonathan, Jean, Lowenstamm & Jean-Roger, Vergnaud (1987). Constituent structure and government in phonology. Paper presented at the 1987 GLOW colloquium, Venice.Google Scholar
McCawley, James D. (1968). The phonological component of a grammar of Japanese. The Hague: Mouton.Google Scholar
Nikiema, Emmanuel (1988). Italian syllable structure: a government-based approach. Paper presented at Departmental Seminar, University College London.Google Scholar
Poser, , William, J. (1984). The phonetics and phonology of tone and intonation in Japanese. PhD dissertation, MIT.Google Scholar
Wetzels, Leo (1986). Phonological timing in ancient Greek. In Wetzels, L. & Sezer, E. (eds.) Studies in compensatory lengthening. Dordrecht: Foris. 297–344.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yoshiba, Hiroshi (1981). The mora constraint in Japanese phonology. Linguistic Analysis 7. 241–262.Google Scholar
Yoshida, Shohei (1990 a). Some aspects of governing relations in Japanese phonology. PhD dissertation, SOAS, University of London.Google Scholar
Yoshida, Shohei (1990 b). On'inron ni okeru toosotsu ni tsuite. [On government in phonology.] Gengo Kenkyu 97. 95–123.Google Scholar