Positional Neutralization - Linguistics - University of California ...

When these stressed open final syllables are followed by a consonant-initial word
(subject to prosodic restrictions), however, the preference for a bimoraic stressed syllable
resurfaces through a process known as raddoppiamento sintattico (Buckley cites Nespor
and Vogel 1986: 165), whereby the need for a bimoraic stressed syllable results in
gemination of the initial consonant of a following word, closing the final stressed
syllable. This is shown in (39).
(39) Raddoppiamento sintattico (Nespor and Vogel 1986: 165)
a. così buono [kzibbwno] 'so good'
b. caffè nero [kaffennero] 'black coffee'
c. resterà con me [resterakkomme] 'will stay with me'
This is obviously a problem for the non-finality approach, since the syllable in question is
in fact stressed (violating Rhythm, which was previously satisfied by avoiding final
length), but nonetheless refuses to lengthen. An example similar to the Italian is that of
Kuku-Thaypan (Paman, Rigsby 1976), in which stressed vowels are lengthened in closed
syllables and open medial syllables. In word-final open syllables, however, stressed
vowels do not lengthen, but rather, a glottal stop is inserted after them. One more similar
system is Lithuanian (Blevins 1993, Kenstowicz 1972), in which a rule lengthening /a/
and /e/ under accent fails to apply word-finally. The problem here is the same: Since the
final vowel is already stressed, there is no need to avoid lengthening it. Buckley also
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