srin: (Default)
The e/æ alternation in Latvian is like polydactyly in humans. The weird case is actually more common than the "regular" case. I'm pretty sure this is significant. But I don't know what it means.

This message brought to you by 4:30 am and way too much OT.
srin: (Default)
The other day I started listening to XM's French stations, because I needed to read for class and wanted the radio on but wasn't in the mood for classical, and lyrics I can't understand are less distracting than lyrics I can. And I have subsequently become rather fond of the French stations. Fine.

The sad thing? My brain just started spitting out an OT analysis of this situation. There are maybe two people reading who've had enough linguistics to even know what optimality theory is, but I'm going to inflict this on you lot anyway because my brain inflicted it on me and I kind of want to cry now.

The crucial ranking that goes something like this:
Music >> *Classical >> *Distract

And look! A tableau!

                                   Music | *Classical    | *Distract
Silence                           *!    |                    |
Classical                                |    *!             |        *      
->FrenchStations                  |                    |       **         
EnglishStations                     |                    |     ***!*

...Yeah. This is what happens when I do phonology late at night, I guess. *Tears of dorkdom*

(Edited because LJ screwed up the formatting on my tableau.) 

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