The question of rule ordering: some counter-fallacies

In 1980 Koutsoudas published a paper entitled 'The Question of Rule Ordering: Some Common Fallacies'. In this paper he attacks various types of criticism of the theory of intrinsic rule ordering, and gives a set of procedures by which he allows his version of that theory (henceforth the KSN theory2) to be falsified. In the present article we utilize the procedures prescribed by Koutsoudas to demonstrate that this theory is not tenable. In the Standard SPE theory the ordering of phonological rules requires to be explicitly stated (extrinsic rule ordering). A number of phonologists have attempted to dispense with extrinsic ordering by formulating principles by which the ordering of rules can be forecast (intrinsic ordering). The KSN proposal is such a theory. Koutsoudas selects one article (Cathey & Demers (1976)), which he feels contains all the types of fallacy committed by proponents of extrinsic ordering. He gives a list of possible counterexamples to his theory - rule interactions that violate the KSN principles. Next, he describes the major changes the theory has undergone: the introduction of a new principle (the Morphophonemic-Allophonic Principle) and the modification of an old one (Proper Inclusion Precedence/Stifling). Obviously, such changes in the theory will have considerable consequences for the type of rule interaction that can serve to disprove the theory, although Koutsoudas does not provide his readers with a modified list of possible falsifications of his theory. This they will have to work out for themselves. The cases we present below are based on such a modified list of possible counterexamples to the 1980 version of Koutsoudas' theory of intrinsic rule ordering. We also indicate in this connection a couple of faulty analyses utilized by Koutsoudas.