• Ashique Shoukath P

Marked segment in a phonological system, cross- linguistically is characterised to show resistance to phonological alternation (Rice (1999), de Lacy (2006). The paper analyzes retroflex sounds, a sound category usually considered as marked segment, in Malayalam in terms of local assimilatory alternation. Major place local assimilation is predominantly regressive in nature, assimilation in which a following sound has an effect on the preceding one, cross- linguistically (June, 2004). But assimilation that involves retroflex sounds represents an important exception to this, generally. Retroflex tends to prefer progressive assimilation in which a preceding segment has an effect on the following one (Steriade 1995, 2001). The current paper argues that assimilation of past- tense marker in Malayalam that involves retroflex sounds agrees with the general trend of retroflex being triggering element except for past tense class with stem final - ɭkk. The exception exhibit a regressive assimilatory process where retroflex sound becomes the target.

Retroflex, markedness, optimality theory, past- tense marker, Malayalam, local assimilation

"Malayalam Retroflexes: markedness in Consonant Distribution", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 10, page no.3909-3922, October-2018, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2010514.pdf

"Malayalam Retroflexes: markedness in Consonant Distribution", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 10, page no. pp3909-3922, October-2018, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2010514.pdf