Metathesis: Database and Theory Development Project

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9809732HumeThe focus of this project is on metathesis, the process whereby sounds appear to switch positions with one another. Thus, in a string of sounds where we would expect the linear ordering of two sounds to be ...xy..., we find instead ...yx.... While less common than processes such as assimilation or sound deletion, regular metathesis nonetheless occurs as a regular phonological process in synchronic systems cross-linguistically, thus countering the commonly-held view of metathesis as sporadic and irregular. Moreover, preliminary research suggests that by taking into account considerations of perceptual ease, a unified account of the motivation behind a wide range of metatheses is possible. However, basic knowledge is lacking concerning the full range of metatheses that are possible in synchronic systems, under what conditions metathesis applies, whether perceptual factors are able to account for all cases, and how metathesis interacts with other processes affecting sound structure. This information is critical to the development of a predictive theory of metathesis. It is also of crucial importance for the advancement of phonological theory since without a clear understanding of the fundamental phonological processes possible in human language, developing an explanatory theory of sound systems is impossible. The goal of this project is thus two-fold: first, to compile a comprehensive database of attested metathesis cases; and second, to develop a predictive and constrained theory of metathesis.