Phonological form in a morphological component : a case of suffixes containing [ε] on their left edge

Abstract

In this paper, I investigate phonological properties of Czech suffixes containing mid front vowel [ε] on their left edge. It is well known that some of them require palatilized contexts, for instance suffixes with alternating [ε], like diminutive –(e)k, some of them not, for instance –em for [InstrSg]. I argue that whether mid front vowel [ε] triggers particular type of palatalization or not depends on its internal phonological makeup. As a consequence, one phonetic object, a sound [ε], will represent different phonological objects.