COMPARING AND CONTRASTING NATURAL PHONOLOGY WITH THE THEORY OF PHONOLOGY AS HUMAN BEHAVIOR

Yishai Tobin
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

ID 1753
[full paper]

This paper compares and contrasts the theories of Natural Phonology and Phonology as Human Behavior in general and shows how each theory views the notion of language universals in particular. The concepts of combinatory phonology, phonotactics, and diachronic, developmental, clinical and evolutionary phonology will be discussed as measures of defining and determining the concept of language universals. The author maintains that biological, physiological, cognitive, psychological, sociological and other universals of human behavior are merely reflected in language rather than being specific "language universals" per se.