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Chapter Five Conclusion
In this study, we have examined VT as the figure against the background of U. We have shown the weakness of U and have demonstrated the strength of VT. In terms of the representation-derivation bifurcation, we have shifted the burden from UR to rules/constraints. We hope that the study can arouse more curious minds into the exploration of VT—to test, to argue, to modify, to be inspired, and to do something.
Meanwhile, we also hope that we have been fair enough for all those (negative) evaluations concerning VT which scatter in the text. We want to be realized as
“critically optimistic”. We wish that the study has in some way or another contributed the progress of VT.
With the theory in hand, we have tried to display its pragmaticity. The nasalization in Taiwanese and the VH in Hungarian have been chosen as our test field. The reason to choose these two languages, from the C-V angle, is that the two languages give a balance (to a certain extent).
On the one hand, for the Taiwanese language, VT provides us the means to solve the spreadability of [+nasal], which has been a persistent topic at least since Li (1992).
On the other hand, for VT, the Taiwanese language plays the surprising role because the connection with U (and in turn, VT) is subtle.
The match between the Hungarian VH and VT is a must because the market of harmony has long been occupied by U. Moreover, the given phenomenon is among the most studied harmony systems in the world languages. Hungarian thus lends a big support to VT.
We believe that through the study, once again the need for U should be quit. And
VT should be given a shot. Although VT has been with us no less than ten years
(since Calabrese (1995)), not much response has been pumped. It is our hope that an
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