Abstract
Abstract
After a brief introduction to the concepts of back‐formation and subtractive morphology, this entry discusses subtractive morphology in German dialects, focusing on relevant descriptive generalizations and their impact on theories of morphology. The entry first describes the most widely discussed German subtraction pattern, where certain word‐final consonants that are present in monosyllabic singulars are absent in corresponding plural forms; some dialects also show subtraction in datives. One largely overlooked aspect of consonant subtraction is the fact that it predictably interacts with overt phonological processes in relevant dialects. It then considers another, less often treated type of subtractive morphology in German dialects, namely vowel shortening in plural forms, which is sometimes even attested in combination with consonant deletion. Lastly, it discusses the theoretical relevance of the patterns and evaluate existing approaches to the relevant facts in the light of the full dataset introduced in this entry.