Metrical Phonology and Tripura Bangla

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

There is no gainsaying the fact that language is the greatest of all miracles that surround human behavioural pattern. Study of language as an approach to the modus operandi of human mind as a collective phenomenon is a highly challenging intellectual pursuit. Generative linguistics aiming at discovering the properties of Universal Grammar (UG) realizes this particular intellectual pursuit even as it bridges the gap between individual grammars and the UG.

The present book is the result of an effort to unravel the mystery behind the so-called ternary rhythm found in some selective languages of the world. Though a marked metrical device, its being shared by many 'unrelated' languages qualifies ternary rhythm to be an inevitable part of the UG. The Optimality Theoretic explanation of ternary rhythm in terms of ranked UG constraints attempted in this book is therefore a logical step forward in the direction of making a lasting contribution to constructing UG.

This book could see the light of day thanks to the inspirations and contributions of so many people. First and foremost, I owe a considerable debt to K. G. Vijaykrishnan (CIEFL, Hyderabad), whose insights into theoretical phonology offered me appropriate guidance and inspired me to think ahead. It has been a real privilege to work with him.

I am deeply obliged to Rene Kager (Utrecht University) who during an international seminar gave me a copy of the co- authored paper, "Ternary rhythm and the lapse constraint, which provided me substantial insights and grounds for arguing for a new theory of rhythmic ternarity in natural languages.

Special thanks are also due to John McCarthy (University of Massachusetts) who not only passed inspiring comments on the content of the book, but also found it worth to post the first draft of it in the Rutgers Optimality Archive (ROA), Rutgers University. I have also received unwavering support from my wife, Hubli and her brother Sri S.N. Suba. I give particular thanks to them. All errors, misjudgements and misinterpretations are of course my own responsibility.