This book gives an exhaustive description on the phonology and the interface between phonology and morphology of the Malay language. The description primarily focuses on the segmental alternations that are derived due the morphological processes of prefixation, suffixation and reduplication. It is observed that the phonology of prefixation, suffixation and reduplication in the language are quite distinct both in character and degree of generality. Processes that are visibly active in prefixation are generally not active in the suffixation or reduplication, and vice versa. This asymmetry has not been satisfactorily accounted for in previous works.

The phonological analysis proposed in this book is couched in the theoretical framework of Correspondence Theory, set within the constraint-based approach of Optimality Theory. The asymmetry between prefixation, suffixation and reduplication is satisfactorily accounted for as a consequence of the output candidate best satisfying the language's constraint hierarchy.