grounding (n.)

A term used in GENERATIVE PHONOLOGY for the relating of a phonological RULE or CONSTRAINT to a phonetically plausible source. For example, in OPTIMALITY THEORY it refers to a type of CO-OCCURRENCE CONSTRAINT which is phonetically motivated (grounded). Sympathetic constraints require that a FEATURE X must appear when a feature Y appears (e.g. the FRONTING of the TONGUE body with the advancement of the tongue root). Antagonistic constraints require that X must not appear when Y appears (e.g. the fronting of the tongue body with the RETRACTION of the tongue root). Examples such as the likely co-occurrence of NASALITY with VOICING suggest the sympathetic constraint that ‘nasals must be voiced’; and examples such as the rarity of nasality co-occurring with LIQUIDS and FRICATIVES suggest the antagonistic constraint that ‘nasals must not be continuant’.