Briefly discuss the concepts:The morpheme Tier Hypothesis, Mapping Principles, and obligatory contour principle (OCP)?

The morpheme tier hypothesis is a linguistic theory that posits that morphemes, the smallest units of meaning in language, are organized into tiers based on their grammatical functions. These tiers are then mapped onto the phonological representation of a word through a set of mapping principles.

Mapping principles are rules that govern how morphemes are combined and represented phonologically in a word. These principles determine the relationship between the morphological and phonological levels of language and help to explain how words are structured and pronounced.

The obligatory contour principle (OCP) is a phonological constraint that prohibits certain combinations of sounds within a language. It states that if a language has a specific phonological pattern, then any other pattern that would violate that pattern is also prohibited. The OCP helps to explain why certain sound combinations are avoided in language and how phonological rules are applied.

Morpheme Tier Hypothesis

- Proposes that morphemes are stored in a separate tier above the phonological level.
- Morphological processes apply to morphemes on the morpheme tier, and the resulting structures are then transferred to the phonological tier for pronunciation.

Mapping Principles

- Rules governing the correspondence between the morpheme tier and the phonological tier.
- Specify how morphemes are realized phonologically, considering factors such as context and language-specific constraints.

Obligatory Contour Principle (OCP)

- A phonological constraint that prohibits adjacent identical segments in the same syllable or on the same phonological tier.
- Prevents sequences like [ttiti] or [kaka] from occurring in most languages.
- Can be applied to various segmental features, such as voicing, place of articulation, or tone.