Linguistic Preferences

Preferences form a central concept of human categorization. They play an important role in disciplines ranging from psychology to economics and philosophy, from evolutionary biology to artificial intelligence, and, notably for this volume, in linguistics. This volume provides both theoretical and empirical contributions from linguistics to this interdisciplinary field of research. TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS is a series of books that open new perspectives in our understanding of language. The series publishes state-of-the-art work on core areas of linguistics across theoretical frameworks, as well as studies that provide new insights by approaching language from an interdisciplinary perspective. TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS considers itself a forum for cutting-edge research based on solid empirical data on language in its various manifestations, including sign languages. It regards linguistic variation in its synchronic and diachronic dimensions as well as in its social contexts as important sources of insight for a better understanding of the design of linguistic systems and the ecology and evolution of language. TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS publishes monographs and outstanding dissertations as well as edited volumes, which provide the opportunity to address controversial topics from different empirical and theoretical viewpoints. High quality standards are ensured through anonymous reviewing. To discuss your book idea or submit a proposal, please contact (mailto:birgit.sievert@degruyter.com) Birgit Sievert. Preferences form a central concept of human categorization. They play an important role in disciplines ranging from psychology to economics and philosophy, from evolutionary biology to artificial intelligence, and, notably for this volume, in linguistics. This volume provides both theoretical and empirical contributions from linguistics to this interdisciplinary field of research. TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS is a series of books that open new perspectives in our understanding of language. The series publishes state-of-the-art work on core areas of linguistics across theoretical frameworks, as well as studies that provide new insights by approaching language from an interdisciplinary perspective. TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS considers itself a forum for cutting-edge research based on solid empirical data on language in its various manifestations, including sign languages. It regards linguistic variation in its synchronic and diachronic dimensions as well as in its social contexts as important sources of insight for a better understanding of the design of linguistic systems and the ecology and evolution of language. TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS publishes monographs and outstanding dissertations as well as edited volumes, which provide the opportunity to address controversial topics from different empirical and theoretical viewpoints. High quality standards are ensured through anonymous reviewing. To discuss your book idea or submit a proposal, please contact [Birgit Sievert.](mailto:birgit.sievert@degruyter.com) Preface 7 Contents 9 Introduction: Preferences 11 Part I: Gradience and preference ranking 27 Prosodic templates in Algonquian reduplication and initial change 27 Amurdak intersyllabic phonotactics and morphophonemic alternations as motivated by the Contact Law 59 Shortening as a window on phonological grammar 81 Moving from syllables to feet in the prosodic hierarchy: How foot-based templates reflect prosodic preferences 119 Part II: Prioritisation and the inferring of preferences from observed choices 153 Danish Stød in the light of morae, the Weight Law and sonority (strength): A personal view 153 Towards phonetic explanations for preferred sound patterns 181 The first person singular subject negative portmanteau in Luganda and Lusoga 205 The laryngeal preference, Saussure, and his politics 219 Part III: Comparative evaluation and the inherent “predictive” purpose of preferences 229 Preference laws and a new interpretation of Modern Bulgarian “liquid metathesis” 229 Syllable structure and sonority in Modern Irish 257 Preference theory and the uneven progress of degemination in Middle English 275 The principle of scopal serialisation: Wackernagel position and mirrored Wackernagel position 303 Tabula Gratulatoria 329 Index 333