Nonlinear phonology emerged in the 1970s as a theoritical framework that challenged the linear

models of phonology predominant at the time. It focusses on multisyllabic words and the way
they are organized.The multitiered representation of nonlinear phonological theory demonstrates
how elements that are nonadjacent at the surface level can be adjacent at some other level,
allowing the spread of phonological information from one element to another. Major theoretical
movements in nonlinear phonology include;Auto-segmental phonology, Metrical
phonology,Feature phonology and Optimality theory.

1.Introduction of Autosegmental Phonology

Proposed by Goldsmith (1976), this framework introduced the idea that phonological features
can exist independently of the segments they are associated with. For example, tone and vowel
quality could be represented on separate tiers, allowing for more complex interactions between
phonological elements.

2. Metrical Phonology

Liberman (1975) and Selkirk (1980) further developed the notion of stress and rhythm in
language, positing that stress patterns are not linear but organized hierarchically. This work
emphasized the importance of structure in understanding prosody and stress patterns.Metrical
phonology organizes phonological elements into a layered structure. The main levels are:

Syllable: The basic unit of sound.Foot: A unit that typically contains one stressed syllable and
one or more unstressed syllables.Phrase: A higher level that can contain multiple feet.

ExamplesStress Patterns in English:Consider the word "banana". Metrically, it can be analyzed

as having three syllables: ba-na-na.The stress pattern is as follows:It can be represented as (ˈba)
(na)(na), where the first syllable is stressed, forming a trochaic foot (ˈba) and the remaining
syllables are unstressed.Phrase-Level Stress:In a phrase like "the big brown dog," the main stress
might fall on "dog," leading to a metrical structure where the phrase is organized into a foot:[the
big] [ˈbrown dog]Here, "brown" acts as a secondary stress, while "dog" carries the primary
stress.Language Variations:In languages like Spanish, stress often follows predictable rules. For
instance, in "médico" (doctor), the stress is on the first syllable, creating a metrical structure
where the foot is (ˈmé)(di)(co).Compound Words:In compound words like "toothbrush," stress
often shifts based on syntactic and semantic factors. Here, "tooth" might receive primary stress
(ˈtooth)(brush), which affects the overall metrical structure of the phrase.

3. Feature Geometry

Clements (1985) introduced feature geometry, which proposed that phonological features are
organized in a hierarchical structure. This model helps explain phenomena like feature spreading
and assimilation in a more systematic way.Feature phonology is a theoretical framework that
analyzes phonological elements based on distinctive features—binary properties that characterize
sounds. This approach is rooted in the idea that sounds can be decomposed into a set of features,
making it easier to understandable their behavior and interactions in different phonological
contexts.

Distinctive Features:Each phoneme is represented by a set of features that describe its

articulatory and acoustic properties. Common features include:Voicing: Indicates whether vocal
cords vibrate during articulation (e.g., [voice] for voiced sounds like /b/).Place of Articulation:
Describes where in the vocal tract the sound is produced (e.g., [labial], [alveolar]).Manner of
Articulation: Specifies how the airflow is constricted (e.g., [stop], [fricative]).Nasal: Indicates
whether air flows through the nasal cavity (e.g., [nasal] for /m/ and /n/).

Feature Bundles:Sounds can be represented as bundles of features. For example:The phoneme /p/
can be represented as:[±voice] = [-voice][±labial] = [+labial][±stop] = [+stop]This allows for a
compact and systematic representation of phonemes.

Feature Geometry:Feature geometry is an extension of feature phonology that organizes features

into a hierarchical structure. For example, consonants might be organized under a "Place" node,
which itself branches into specific places of articulation (labial, coronal, dorsal).

Interaction of Features:Feature phonology provides insight into how features interact during
phonological processes like assimilation, dissimilation, and feature spreading.

4. Optimality Theory

- In the 1990s, Prince and Smolensky (1993) developed Optimality Theory (OT), which
posited that phonological forms arise from the interaction of universal constraints rather than
through rule-based transformations. This theory allows for a more dynamic understanding of
phonological processes, emphasizing the role of markedness and faithfulness constraints. In OT,
every input, or abstract representation of a word, can generate multiple output candidates. These
candidates are evaluated against two types of constraints: markedness constraints, which favor
simpler and more natural forms, and faithfulness constraints, which require that the output
closely resembles the input. The optimal candidate—the one that violates the fewest high-
ranking constraints—is selected as the output.

This model allows for variability across languages, as different languages can rank the same
constraints differently, leading to distinct phonological behaviors.For example, consider the
English phenomenon of consonant deletion in the phrase "next day," which is often pronounced
as [nɛks deɪ]. Here, the input is /nɛkst deɪ/. The relevant constraints might include a markedness
constraint that penalizes complex clusters (like /kst/) and a faithfulness constraint that aims to
preserve the input segments. The candidates would be [nɛks deɪ] (with deletion of /t/) and [nɛkst
deɪ] (keeping /t/). In this case, the first candidate satisfies the markedness constraint by avoiding
the complex cluster, but it violates the faithfulness constraint. Conversely, the second candidate
preserves the input but violates markedness. Ultimately, [nɛks deɪ] is chosen as the optimal
output, illustrating how OT allows for constraint interaction and variation in phonological
processes.

Reference

Goldsmith, J. (1976). Autosegmental Phonology. PhD dissertation, MIT.

Clements, G. N. (1985). The Geometry of Phonological Features.

Liberman, M. (1975). The Intonational System of English.

Selkirk, E. (1980). The Role of Prosodic Categories in English Word Stress.

Prince, A., & Smolensky, P. (1993). Optimality Theory: Constraint Interaction in Generative
Grammar.