Variation in Nupe phonology and morphology

This dissertation addresses the challenge that intralinguistic variation poses for Optimality Theory. The difference between languages—intralinguistic variation—is a function of constraint reranking. The challenge of intralinguistic variation is accounting for differences within a language with respect to the same phonological phenomenon that requires constraint reranking with the potential for ranking paradoxes. I propose a unified approach to intralinguistic variation that involves deploying special constraints—constraints that are active in variation contexts—in the constraint hierarchy motivated for the analysis of nonvariable phenomena. The interaction of the special constraints with the hierarchies for nonvariable phenomena accounts for interstratal and intralinguistic typological variation, and optionality. It preempts any ranking paradoxes that might otherwise ensue. Variation manifests in Nupe in the domains of loan phonology, hiatus resolution, and affixation.; Loan phonology engenders interstratal variation whereby there is divergence between the native and loan strata. The failure of loanwords to conform to the structure of the target language is explained by ranking a loan faithfulness constraint—a special constraint—above the hierarchy motivated for the structures of the native stratum. This prevents reranking the constraints to explain the structures in the loan stratum. Distribution of stridents in Nupe illustrates interstratal variation. Stratal convergence is assured by subordinating a loan faithfulness constraint to the hierarchy of the target language.; The prohibition of hiatus—heterosyllabic vowel sequences—necessitates a number of hiatus resolution strategies. The presence of multiple strategies in a language engenders intralinguistic typological variation. The strategies in Nupe are glide formation, assimilation, and elision. Glide formation is the primary strategy. Relevant special constraints are motivated and deployed into the hierarchy for the primary strategy to account for the other strategies.; Optionality manifests in Nupe in gerundial affixation. Gerundial affixation to some verb stems results in more than one optimal output. The analysis of optionality appeals to crucial nonranking between the constraints violated by each optimal output.; The dissertation not only adequately describes and analyzes aspects of Nupe loan phonology, hiatus resolution, and affixation, but also answers the conceptual challenge that intralinguistic variation poses for Optimality Theory. It further advocates novel approaches to familiar phonological and morphological phenomena.