ABSTRACT
As outlined in Chapter 1, a successful theory of markedness constraints that apply exclusively to phonologically strong positions (M/str constraints) must be able to predict which markedness constraints have M/str counterparts and which do not. The proposal developed here is that the distinction between legitimate, attested M/str constraints and problematic, unattested M/str constraints is made on substantive grounds, involving factors such as perceptual prominence and the way in which certain strong positions are involved in word recognition. As a consequence, a theory of M/str constraints must be seen in the context of a broader question: how it is that substantive restrictions can affect the phonological system.
