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Is epenthesis a means to optimize feet? A reanalysis of the CLPF database

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2008

HELENA TAELMAN  and
STEVEN GILLIS
HELENA TAELMAN*
Affiliation:
CNTS, University of Antwerp
STEVEN GILLIS
Affiliation:
CNTS, University of Antwerp
*
*Address for correspondence: Helena Taelman, University of Antwerp, Department of Linguistics, CNTS, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk, Belgium. Email: Helena.Taelman@ua.ac.be.
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Abstract

Fikkert (1994) analyzed a large corpus of Dutch children's early language production, and found that they often add targetless syllables to their words in order to create bisyllabic feet. In this note we point out a methodological problem with that analysis: in an important number of cases, epenthetic vowels occur at places where grammatical morphemes (e.g. plural and diminutive suffixes) may be expected. Hence, the seemingly targetless syllables may represent grammatical morphemes. A reanalysis of Fikkert's original data reveals that her rhythmic explanation cannot be maintained if those cases are excluded from the analysis.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Child Language , Volume 35 , Issue 2 , May 2008 , pp. 439 - 452
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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