苗族学生英语发音中增音和删音的优选论分析

摘要

苗语与英语各属两种不同语系,音节存在着重大差异。通过对比发现,苗语的音节结构可表示为：辅音＋元音＋声调,或元音＋声调,属于单音节。与之相反,英语节首和节尾的辅音连缀相当复杂,音节首可以包含0-3个辅音,节尾部分包含0-4个辅音。苗语和英语两种音系的异同导致苗族学生在学习英语语音时出现增音和删音的现象。在优选论的框架下,造成这一现象的原因得到很好的解释。苗语的单音节结构不允许复杂辅音节首的出现,因此制约条件＊COMPLEX等级排列比MAX-IO与DEP-IO高;其次,苗语的音节结构不允许韵尾的存在,因此,制约条件＊NOCODA的等级排列比DEP-IO与MAX-IO高。%Miao language and English belong to different language family with different phonology.It is discovered in a comparative analysis that the syllable structure of Miao language can be summarized as C＋V＋tone,or V＋tone;English,on the contrary,allows complex consonantal clusters,with onset accommodating a minimum of zero and a maximum of three consonants,the coda a minimum of zero and a maximum of four.The differences in the phonology of the two languages result into the sound epenthesis and deletion made by the English learners of Miao nationality in their course of acquiring English pronunciation.With the framework of OT,the reason for this is accountable.Given that complex clusters are not allowed in onset of Miao language,the constraint COMPLEX dominates MAX——IO and DEP-IO.In addition,complex coda is incompatible with Miao language,the constraint ﹡NOCODA,therefore,is ranked higher than DEP-IO and MAX-IO so as to prevent ill-formed outputs.