Phonologically Conditioned Suppletion in Azerbaijani: A Cognitive Approach

One of the controversial issues in morphophonological studies is Phonologically-Conditioned Suppletion. Using a cognitive approach, the present study shows the existence of this phenomenon in Azerbaijani. Under Langacker’s (1987) Rule/List Fallacy, the lexicon contains unpredictable as well as predictable information. This paves the way for a better explanation of the lexicalization of phonological processes. Following Langacker’s Rule/List Fallacy and Bybee’s (2001) early morphologization (or lexicalization) of phonological processes, the authors believe that the lexicalization of such processes has occurred in Azerbaijani. Those processes are not productive anymore and they only exist as residues in the lexicon. In some cases, those residues are suppletive forms and the choice between them depends on the phonological context. The authors’ analysis is different from the other researchers’ generative analyses in which they have tried to explain such cases in terms of phonological processes. Nesset’s (2008) cognitive model is used to demonstrate the representations and relations between the allomorphs. This model is based on Langacker’s (1987) ideas and to date, it is one of the few “cognitive phonology” models in cognitive and usage-based linguistics. Wherever not referenced, the data in this paper is gathered by recording Azerbaijani speakers.