Phonologically conditioned allomorph selection (original) (raw)

Since Jakobson's (1948) analysis of Russian verbs as having one stem rather than two, it has been an attempt of generative phonology to minimize distinctly listed allomorphs in favor of phonological rules, some of which may be morphologically specific. Nonetheless there are certain allomorphs that cannot be derived one from the other, leading to “multiple URs” for the same morphemic category, such as the Moroccan 3rd person object clitic, which varies between the allomorphs-h and-u, as will be discussed further below.