On Basque Affricates

Laburpena

The representation of affricates and other non-steady-state segments posed serious problems to linear phonological theories. Hierarchical models such as the one introduced in elements (1985) offer the possibility of representations that capture the behavior of these segments in a much more conspicuous way than in earlier models. Working within a hierarchical theory of phonological representations, Sagey (1986) proposes that affricate segments differ from simple segments in that they contain two ordered features [-cont] [+cant]. Given this representation, Sagey makes the prediction that affricates will behave as stops for rules involving their left edge, but as fricatives for rules sensitive to their right edge. Sagey presents data from a number of languages which offer support for this prediction.
   In this paper, I will argue, basing myself on Basque data, that, whereas a representation of affricates as segments containing two ordered eatures [-cont] [+cont] is essentially correct, it does not necessarily follow from that representation that these segments will always show edge effects. As I will show, affricates in Basque are treated as stops with respect to a deletion rule involving their right side, but sensitive to the feature [-cont]. I will argue for a representation of affricates as segments containing two ordered supralaryngeal nodes.