Feeding order

In phonology and historical linguistics, if two rules are in feeding order, rule A creates new contexts in which rule B can apply. It would not have been possible for rule B to apply otherwise. If the order of the rules are reversed, they are said to be in counterfeeding order.

For example, if we have two rules, rule A which looks like x -> y and rule B which looks like y -> z, then the following is a feeding order:

1. A: x→y
2. B: y→z

while the following is a counterfeeding order:

1. B: y→z
2. A: x→y

A good example of feeding can be seen in English, where preglottalization can be considered as rule B. As a consequence of this rule, all voiceless plosives which make part of a word-final consonant cluster are glottalized. This can be seen in the form looked, with the underlying representation /lʊkt/. It is pronounced [lʊʔkt]. Another rule in English which is called fortis stop insertion shall be considered here as rule A. This rule inserts a voiceless plosives for example in /prɪns/ (prince), so that the new form of the word becomes [prɪnts]. Because a new phonological context has been created in which rule B can take place, the final output form of prince is [prɪnʔts].

An example of counterfeeding can be seen in French, where petite nièce ("little niece") is pronounced [pətit njɛs]. If the rule which deletes word-final /-ə/ in French had been applied before another rule which deletes word-final consonants before another consonant, this would have been a feeding order so that the final output form would have been [pəti njɛs] instead. A counter-feeding order of phonological rules thus very often creates phonological opacity. In the given case, it is the application of the rule deleting word-final consonants which has become opaque in French.

In historical linguistics, a sequence of rules in counterfeeding order is called a chain shift. A chain shift looks graphically like the following:

• a→b→c→d

where only one rule can apply. The result is that what was originally a becomes b, what was originally b becomes c, what was originally c becomes d, etc. In essence, each sound "shifts" one position to the right. A good example of such a chain shift occurred as part of the Great Vowel Shift, which took place historically in English around 1500 AD. The long front vowels were raised one position, while the original high front vowel became a diphthong:

• /aː/→/ɛː/→/eː/→/iː/→/əi/

See also

• Bleeding order
• Optimality Theory
• Markedness

References

Gussenhoven, C. & Jacobs, H. (1998). Understanding Phonology. Arnold, Londen.

Jensen, J.T. (2004). Principles of Generative Phonology: An introduction.