DOUBLE Accent in Loanwords of North Kyungsang Korean and Variable Syllable Weight

Abstract

This paper provides an analysis of the loanword tone patterns in North Kyungsang Korean (NKK), especially focused on the issue of contextual syllable weight in disyllable words. The loanword tone patterns in NKK is predictable by syllable weight, unlike native words. In particular, according to Kenstowicz and H-S Sohns (2001) generalization for NKK loanwords, if the initial syllable of the output is heavy, the word falls into the DOUBLE accent class, realized with a sequence of high tones. But this fails to explain the realization of PENULT accent occurring against DOUBLE accent in spite of the presence of an initial heavy syllable. This paper proposes that variable weight of closed syllable occurs as a consequence of the conflict between metrical constraints and the constraints determining the weight of the coda, as in Y-H Chung (2002).