An Optimality Theoretic (OT) account of word-final vowel epenthesis and deletion processes in the incorporation of loanwords into the Dhaka dialect of Bangla

Abstract

This paper investigates the phenomenon of word-final vowel epenthesis and consonant deletion processes in the incorporation of loanwords into the Dhaka dialect of Bangla and provides an Optimality Theoretic (OT) account of these two processes. With tableaux, I have demonstrated that a high-ranked markedness constraint *COMPLEX^COD (Kager, 1999), is active in Dhaka. Also, while MAX-C/V motivates the optimal outputs with a deleted consonant in ‘nasal+obstruent’ ‘liquid [l]+obstruent’ and ‘stop+stop’ clusters, the vowel epenthesis in ‘liquid+nasal’ clusters is allowed by two lower ranked faithfulness constraints CONTIG-IO and DEP-IO. Finally, I interpreted that the apparent /r/ deletion in ‘liquid [r]+obstruent’ clusters of OB in Dhaka dialect is a process of merger of /r/ with the preceding vowel (Cote, 2004) or it is an effect of auditory perception of English source language form (i.e., perceiving /r/ as a vowel) by borrowing language speakers of Dhaka dialect.