Violation of Onset Constraint in Word-Initial Syllable (Analysis in English and Lithuanian)

Abstract

ONSET of the word-initial syllables in English and Lithuanian has been investigated in the theoretical framework of Optimality Theory (1397 word-initial syllables in Lithuanian and the same number of word-initial syllables in English). The results of the investigation have shown that the Lithuanian language exhibits fewer cases of ONSET violations in word-initial syllable than the English language. Thus, the Lithuanian language is less marked in this respect. Accordingly, ONSET constraint in Lithuanian may prove to be occupying a higher position in the constraint hierarchy of the Lithuanian language. The hierarchy of constraints in syllable formation in Lithuanian is not established; the present investigation is a contribution towards this end.