초록 열기/닫기 버튼
In the literature, theories such as quantal theory, markedness theory and dispersion theory have been proposed to account for vowel inventory typology (Stevens 1972, 1989; Lang and Ohala 1996; Schwartz et al. 1997; Vallée et al. 2002; Flemming 1995 and many others). However, following evolutionary phonology (Blevins 2004), Vaux and Samuels (2015) argue that none of these previous theories can successfully account for the inventory of vowel systems. In the present paper, however, Flemming’s (1995) dispersion account of vowel systems is prioritized over previous analyses of the vowel system in various languages. The central idea of dispersion theory is to explain sound patterns in terms of the interaction between conflicting functional constraints on the maximization of perceptual contrast and the minimization of articulatory effort. Following dispersion theory, the typological patterns found in vowel systems and the existence of unnatural systems in the world’s languages are both found to be the most accountable.
