A study of ‘ㅇ’s diachronic change in Optimality Theory

Abstract

This paper is to investigate a diachronic change of ‘ㅇ’ with the framework of Optimality Theory. First, I talk about the problem that ‘ㅇ’ vanish for a certain reason, and then I explain ‘ㅇ’s diachronic change since 16th century in Optimality Theory. ‘ㅇ’ is described as a voiced glottal sound in Hunminjeongeum. I regard general view that a phonetic value is realized as [ɦ]. This ‘ㅇ’ is defined by the environments of voiced sound between vowels, between [r] and vowel, and between ‘ᅀ’ and vowel. I follow the view that ‘ㅇ’ had existed before Middle Korean and review several researches on when it began. Then I discussion why ‘ㅇ’ happened and what aspects it had. To account for a diachronic change of ‘ㅇ’, this paper attempts constraint-based analysis. I show that the interaction *ɦ, AGREE, Ident-IO and Max-IO results in a diachronic change of ‘ㅇ’.