The Architecture of Bilingual Phonological Knowledge and Performance.

Abstract

In this paper, I propose a formal model of the representation and processing of an integrated multilingual phonological grammar. Two options are considered: (a) a merged union of features from all languages, and (b) an integrated repository which includes representational language tags on hierarchical phonological structures. I argue that the tagged model is preferred given that the merged-union proposal runs into problems with (a) ranking paradoxes, and (b) requiring extra theoretical machinery to block subsets of hierarchies. The tagged model introduces no new theoretical machinery, and has the added value that it is consistent with psycholinguistic approaches which rely on either suppression or activation. I develop a model which (a) incorporates the syntax/phonology interface and (b) articulates details of the various stages of Phonetic Form (PF) spellout. Such an approach recognizes the important role phonology plays in current models of the grammatical architecture, particularly as applied to multilingual knowledge and performance.