Prominence Hierarchies in Agreement, with Special Reference to Menominee

Abstract

AbstractThis entry describes the role of prominence hierarchies in agreement, focusing on the Algonquian language Menominee (ISO mez). Thorough consideration of the data shows that there are four hierarchies rather than just one, each corresponding to a different affix slot. A brief look at other Algonquian languages shows that additional configurations of the hierarchy exist. Reasons why such hierarchies are usually rejected in certain kinds of formal approaches are also explored, as well as the kinds of generalizations they do capture. The entry concludes that despite at least three decades of attempts to account for these generalizations without reference to hierarchies, the problem still awaits an elegant and definitive solution.