The Analysis of Phonological Processes of Orami Dialect in Northern Iran: Generative Phonology and Optimality Theory (Case Study: Abdolmaleki Dialect)

Abdolmaleki is spoken by a tribe in coastal part of Miankaleh, Behshahr. This dialect is somewhat different from other Orami dialects, common in Kermanshah, due to remoteness from its origin, Horaman. In this study, after describing syllabic structure of Abdolmaleki dialect, some of its most important phonological processes in common words with standard Persian have been examined. After analyzing each process, specific rule is presented. Applying a descriptive-analytic method, the data is analyzed within generative phonology and optimality theory. Some of the results are: 1. The syllabic structure of Abdolmaleki dialect consists of eight syllables; 2. At the beginning of the syllable, there may be a consonant cluster; 3. Various phonological processes such as assimilation, dissimilation, deletion, insertion, weakening, and metathesis are active; 4. The sequence of two consonants / n / and / d / is not used in the speech; 5. In analyzing the metathesis process, three limitations of linearity, SCL, and SSP are involved; 6. In the weakening process, lazy restriction has priority over all restraints.