Lam, Wai Man. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 189-192). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.i / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.iii / Chapter CHAPTER 1 --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Overview --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Data collection --- p.3 / Chapter 1.3 --- Defining connected speech --- p.5 / Chapter 1.4 --- Theoretical framework: Optimality Theory --- p.6 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Basic principles --- p.6 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Conflicts between markedness and faithfulness --- p.7 / Chapter 1.4.3 --- Rationale of using OT in the study of connected speech phonology --- p.7 / Chapter 1.5 --- Principles of speech production --- p.10 / Chapter CHAPTER 2 --- APPROACHES TO SYLLABLE CONTRACTION --- p.12 / Chapter 2.1 --- Descriptive work on Cantonese syllable contraction --- p.12 / Chapter 2.2 --- The experimental approach to syllable contraction --- p.13 / Chapter 2.3 --- The acoustic approach to syllable contraction --- p.15 / Chapter 2.4 --- The templatic approach to rime change --- p.17 / Chapter 2.5 --- The autosegmental approach to syllable contraction --- p.18 / Chapter 2.6 --- The prosodic approach to syllable contraction --- p.21 / Chapter 2.7 --- The optimality-theoretic approach to syllable contraction --- p.22 / Chapter 2.8 --- Hypotheses --- p.25 / Chapter CHAPTER 3 --- PATTERNS OF SYLLABLE CONTRACTION --- p.26 / Chapter 3.1 --- The σ1-m2I-σ2 string --- p.28 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Segmental issues --- p.28 / Chapter 3.1.1.1 --- σ1-m21 contraction --- p.28 / Chapter 3.1.1.1.1 --- The role of the onset --- p.30 / Chapter 3.1.1.1.2 --- Open syllables --- p.31 / Chapter 3.1.1.1.3 --- Offglides --- p.34 / Chapter 3.1.1.1.4 --- Checked syllables (obstruent coda) --- p.35 / Chapter 3.1.1.1.5 --- Nasal coda --- p.38 / Chapter 3.1.1.2 --- m21-σ2 contraction --- p.40 / Chapter 3.1.1.2.1 --- The glottal fricative [h] --- p.40 / Chapter 3.1.1.2.2 --- The glottal stop [？] --- p.41 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Tonal issues --- p.43 / Chapter 3.1.2.1 --- σ1-m21 contraction --- p.43 / Chapter 3.1.2.2 --- m21 -σ2 contraction --- p.47 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Summary of the σ1-m21 -σ2 string --- p.49 / Chapter 3.2 --- The σ1-σ2-m21-σ3-σ4 string --- p.50 / Chapter 3.3 --- The σ1-m21 -σ2-σ3 string --- p.53 / Chapter 3.4 --- The m21-σ1 string --- p.55 / Chapter 3.5 --- Summary of this chapter --- p.57 / Chapter CHAPTER 4 --- CONSTRAINT INTERACTION IN SYLLABLE CONTRACTION --- p.58 / Chapter 4.1 --- Basic syllable structure constraints --- p.58 / Chapter 4.2 --- Avoidance of syllabic nasals through syllable contraction --- p.59 / Chapter 4.3 --- Coda issues --- p.65 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Obstruent coda deletion --- p.65 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Nasal coda --- p.73 / Chapter 4.4 --- Onset issues --- p.75 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Illegal m21-σ2 contraction --- p.75 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Glottal transparency --- p.80 / Chapter 4.5 --- Tonal issues --- p.85 / Chapter 4.5.1 --- σ1 -m21 contraction --- p.88 / Chapter 4.5.2 --- m2I-σ2 contraction --- p.90 / Chapter 4.6 --- Summary of constraint interaction in syllable contraction --- p.96 / Chapter CHAPTER 5 --- PROSODIC CONSTRAINTS GOVERNING SYLLABLE CONTRACTION --- p.98 / Chapter 5.1 --- Prosodic structure of various A-not-A strings --- p.98 / Chapter 5.2 --- Predicting the result of syllable contraction by constraint ranking --- p.102 / Chapter 5 .3 --- Summary of prosodic factors --- p.105 / Chapter CHAPTER 6 --- VARIATIONS AND CONSTRAINT RE-RANKING --- p.106 / Chapter 6.1 --- Variations on the number of morae --- p.110 / Chapter 6.2 --- Variations on the deletion of segments --- p.115 / Chapter 6.3 --- Variations on the number of syllables --- p.117 / Chapter CHAPTER 7 --- CONCLUSION --- p.121 / APPENDIX I --- p.125 / APPENDIX II --- p.155 / APPENDIX III --- p.170 / APPENDIX IV --- p.185 / LIST OF REFERENCES --- p.189