ACCENTUATION AND EMPTY VOWELS IN ONDARROA BASQUE - AGAINST THE CONCEPT OF PHONOLOGICAL DERIVATION

In Ondarroa Basque there is a lexical distinction between accented and unaccented morphemes. Words containing accented morphemes receive wor d-penultimate prominence. Other words are unaccented and, in medial po sition, surface without prominence on any syllable. Phrase-finally, le xically unaccented words receive phrase-penultimate prominence. Intere stingly, certain empty Vowels are counted for the assignment of phrasa l prominence to lexically unaccented words, but not for the placement of lexical accents on the penultimate syllable of the word. This situa tion is incompatible with the traditional concept of phonological deri vation. On the other hand, the facts receive a straightforward account in terms of constraints operating on surface patterns.