I am struggling to understand how can Kisserberth's concept of conspiracy is applicable in the generative explanation of word stress rules of a particular language X? Now, if we refer to Kager's (Oenter link description hereptimality Theory, 1999) discussion of how the phonological structure *XYZ can be achieved in a language via multiple unrelated paths (like XYZ can become XAZ, XZ, XYAZ etc) , it is easy to understand in the context of segmental phonology. I am struggling to understand how this same logic of conspiracy can be applied in the context similar to the case written below.
The language Pintupi has left headed trochaic, rhythmic and left to right stress. The last syllable is extrametrical in case a word has uneven number of syllables.
Even though I get the basic point, I am struggling to understand how can I express it in case of stress rules. In case of the discussion on *XYZ phonological representation, it is achievable through different phonological functions. The representation takes the shape of a negative rewrite rule stating don't get XYZ structure in the surface form.
If I try to say a trisyllabic word stress is trochee, what can be different functions that makes it trochee?
- *not iamb? and what else? There should be at least one more rule for conspiracy and functional unity of rules.
In OT it is Trochee>>iamb
Similarly to achieve the rhythmic quality in case of a quadrisyllabic word, what can be different unconnected rules through which it can be achieved.
In OT, it is parse syllable>> align-ft-left
Thank you for reading!
