In Korean compound nouns, the onset of the second element tensifies:
/pjəl + picʰ/ →
[pjəl.p*icʰ]. This process displays a
substantial number of exceptions. We show that in the Yanbian dialect
phonological factors influence compound tensification; their influence is
confirmed by the results of a wug test. These results mostly mirror
generalisations informed by lexical data, but a pattern not clearly observed in
the existing lexicon also emerged (analytic bias or
‘overlearning’), while phonologically implausible
interactions were not actively incorporated
(‘underlearning’). Preliminary acoustic analysis motivates
an OCP restriction against multiple laryngeally marked segments, due to the
shared feature [long non-modal voicing]. But in simplex nouns the co-occurrence
of two tense onsets is overrepresented. This apparent contradiction is explained
by a directionality difference: compound tensification is progressive, as
opposed to the regressive assimilation of creaky voice from the vowel of the
following syllable in simplex words.