[r] Epenthesis in Minangkabaunese: An Optimality Theory Analysis

The introduction of Optimality Theory (OT) by Prince and Smolensky (1993, 2000) and McCarthy and Prince (1993) is considered a development of Generative Grammar in the 1990s. OT focuses on formal description and universal principles, based on empirical research in linguistic typology and language acquisition. It has profoundly changed phonological inquiry, shifting from rule-based models to output evaluation with ranked violable constraints. This paper provides basic concepts of OT and applies them to analyze [r] epenthesis in Minangkabaunese, particularly after the prefix ba-. Patterns of [r] epenthesis appear in verbs beginning with a vowel and prefixed by ba-, such as barubek (“to get the medicine”), while its absence (e.g., baubek “to be given the medicine”) implies different meanings. These phenomena suggest sets of rules and constraints that can be analyzed within OT.