The final assignment, due in the last class (June 17), is to read the article "Sonority and Syllable Structure in American Sign Language", by David Perlmutter. The article is available through the shmurim, who have miscataloged it under the name "Perlamutter". It is IMAGE-1265367. Before reading the article, it may be helpful to review the material we covered on syllable structure, including terms like onset, nucleus, and coda, and the concept of sonority.
Parts of the article refer to theories that we have not covered, so we will not read all of it. I have indicated where you should skip sections.
Write a summary of the article, about 2 pages typed. In the summary you should address the following questions: What is Perlmutter's main claim? Why is this claim important for phonological theory? What evidence does he give to support this claim? Do you find his argument convincing or not, and why? Do not use direct quotes from the article, but instead explain the ideas in your own words.
The summary will be graded on both content and form---i.e., it should show a good understanding of the article and also be well-written, with correct spelling and grammar and clear structure. It must be typed. If you wish, you may give me a draft by June 10, and I will return it with comments on June 14.