105 lines
4.7 KiB
Markdown
105 lines
4.7 KiB
Markdown
# Feature Change Applier
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[Try the app!](https://sorrelbri.github.io/feature-change-applier/)
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[Inspired by the Zompist Sound Change Applier 2](https://www.zompist.com/sca2.html)
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## What is this?
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Feature Change Applier is a tool for applying systemic sound change rules to an input lexicon.
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Features:
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- feature based phone definitions
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- feature based sound change rule support
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- multi-character phone support
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- comparative runs for multiple rule sets
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## How do I use FCA?
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An FCA run requires the user to define three parameters:
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- [the input lexicon](#The-Input-Lexicon), expressed in phonetic terms
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- [the feature set](#the-feature-set), which maps each phonetic feature to positive or negative values for each phone
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- [at least one 'epoch' of sound change rules](#epochs) to apply to the input lexicon
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### The Input Lexicon
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For best effect, the input lexicon should use a narrow phonetic transcription of each lexeme.
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Lexemes must be separated by line breaks in order to be parsed properly by FCA.
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Multi-word lexemes can be inserted with or without spaces, any white-space will be removed from the lexeme at runtime.
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FCA does not currently support suprasegmentals by default, however features can be used to define prosodic information so long as it can be associated with a single phone.
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For example:
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- For tonemes, use IPA tone markers as in `ma˨˩˦` (马)
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- For phonetic length, use IPA length markers as in `ħaːsin` (حَاسِن)
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- For stress or syllabic breaks, however `ˈɡʊd.nɪs` may result in unpredictable behavior and is best avoided.
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See below for defining these features in the feature set.
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#### Future Changes to the Input Lexicon
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- Future versions of FCA will allow for greater suprasegmental feature support.
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- Future versions will allow for epoch specific lexemes
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### The Feature Set
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Phones in FCA are defined by the features they exhibit.
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To add or edit a feature use the form to enter the feature name and the phones which are associated with the feature in the `+` and `-` inputs.
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Phones should be separated by a forward slash and may be represented with multiple characters.
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For example:
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`aspirated + tʰ / pʰ / kʰ - t / p / k / ʔ`
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Results in:
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`[+ aspirated] = tʰ / pʰ / kʰ [- aspirated] = t / p / k / ʔ`
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If the feature already exists, any phones associated with that feature will be replaced with the phones in the form.
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A feature is not required to have a value for every phone, and every phone is not required to have a value for every feature.
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Rules targeting `-` values for specific features will not target phones that are not defined in the feature set.
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For example:
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`[- aspirated]>ʔ/[+ vowel]_.`
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This rule will not operate on the phone `ʊ` in `haʊs` as it was not defined with a negative `aspirated` value above.
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#### Suprasegmentals
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Toneme example using Mandarin tone system:
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```
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[+ tone] = ˥ / ˧˥ / ˨˩˦ / ˥˩ [- tone] =
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[+ high] = ˥ / ˥˩ [- high] = ˧˥ / ˨˩˦
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[+ low] = ˨˩˦ [- low] = ˥ / ˥˩ / ˧˥
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[+ rising] = ˧˥ [- rising] = ˥ / ˨˩˦ / ˥˩
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[+ falling] = ˨˩˦ / ˥˩ [- falling] = ˥ / ˧˥
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```
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Length example using Modern Standard Arabic (without allophonic variation):
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```
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[+ long] = aː / iː / uː [- long] = a / i / u / aj / aw
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[+ geminate] = mː / nː / tː / tˤː / ... [- geminate] = m / n / t / tˤ / ...
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```
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#### Future Chagnes to the Feature Set
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- Future versions of FCA will allow for greater suprasegmental feature support
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- Future versions will allow for exclusive features. In the example below a phone cannot have a labial value and a coronal value simultaneously:
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```
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[!place
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[labial
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[+ labiodental] = f
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[- labiodental] = p / m / kp / ŋm
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[+ labiovelar] = kp / ŋm
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[- labiovelar] = f / p / m
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]
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[coronal
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[+ anterior] = t̪ / n̪ / t / n
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[- anterior] = c / ɲ / ʈ / ɳ
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[+ distributed] = t̪ / n̪ / c / ɲ
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[- distributed] = t / n / ʈ / ɳ
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]
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...
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]
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```
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### Epochs
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This is where the rules to transform your lexicon are defined.
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An FCA project can have as many 'epochs' or suites of sound change rules as you would like to define.
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Rules can be defined using phones or features:
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- `n>ŋ/._k`
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- `[+ nasal alveolar]>[- alveolar + velar]/._[+ velar]`
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These two rules will both act on the phone `n` in the sequence `nk` transforming it into `ŋ`, however the feature defined rule could also transform the `n` in the sequences `ng`, `nŋ`, `nx`, etc.
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By default, FCA will pipe the initial lexicon into each one of these epochs and apply their transformations independently.
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The output of one epoch can be piped into another epoch, however, by defining the `parent` parameter from the dropdown when adding a new epoch.
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