Segmental contrast meets output-to-output faithfulness

Abstract

Work on segmental contrast and work on allomorphic variation within OT has been converging on the conclusion that outputs are not calculated only from unique 'inputs', but are rather also influenced by other outputs, in a way that seeks to eliminate weak contrasts. I propose a unified approach to this effect and note that it thus unifies solutions to a significant number of empirical problems for OT, that go from cyclicity, to 'Non-Derived-Environment Blocking' effects to 'opacity', revealing that this is a crucial development.