This dissertation examines the relationship between laryngeal features and the segment in four languages, with a focus on phonetic traits, phonological representation, and the roles of length, weight, and stress. The case studies present laryngeal phenomena from disparate language contexts that are united in their subsegmental nature and typologically unexpected occurrence: laryngealized vowels in Yánesha’ (Arawakan), pre-aspirated geminate stops in Barese (Upper Southern Italo-Romance) and the local variety of Standard Italian (Central Italo-Romance), and post-aspirated geminate stops in Maranese (Extreme Southern Italo-Romance) and the local variety of Standard Italian. Each study demonstrates that the phonetic qualities, positioning, and length of laryngeal features in relation to the host segmentinformsphonologicalimportandweightdistinctions. Thephoneticandphonological traits of these laryngeal features shed light on their uncommon crosslinguistic occurrence and their functions in these languages.
In Yánesha’, I show that [+spread] and [+constricted] are contrastive features associated with the second half of vowel segments, based on durational, distributional, and prosodic, evidence. Furthermore, Iarguethatinsomemorphemestheselaryngealsarebestanalyzedas ghost features with variable underlying strengths and weights, as substantiated by morphophonological alternations in the language. In Maranese and the Marano variety of standard Italian, I demonstrate that [+spread] is a consistent, arguably contrastive feature associated with the offset of voiceless geminate stops, likely originating from the non-Standard variety. Conversely, Barese and the Bari variety of standard Italian exhibit [+spread] as an optional surface feature associated with the onset of voiceless geminate stops, likely introduced by the non-Standard variety. In all four Italian contexts, the combination of [+spread] and [+air] highlights the featural transition between modal vowels and closures, motivating the surfacing location of aspiration. In the case of Barese, perception findings indicate that aspiration is perceived as part of the vowel, despite its underlying position in the stop, and that the position and duration of aspiration critically influence the assessment of stop length. These results lend support to increased gradation in length and weight distinctions across the Italian varieties.
Across the case studies, Q Theory is instrumental in its ability to accurately represent multi-phonationalsegments, gradationinlength, andlaryngealalternationsbywayofghostfeature and surface-level subsegment associations. The proposed Q-Theoretic models pair effectively with constraint-based frameworks (Harmonic Grammar and Max-Ent) which probe the subsegment level, and with principles of Gradient Symbolic Representations, which facilitate the implementation of multiple degrees of activity in the phonology. Furthermore, the models enable the breakdown of weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing units within the segment, as well as distinctions in moraic activity by subsegment type. Overall, the proposed analyses demonstrate how incorporating gradience in multiple domains of phonological representation an illuminate complex alternations and unexpected surfacing patterns.