| ROA: | 1393 |
|---|---|
| Title: | A pseudo-parametric typology at the syntax-prosody interface |
| Authors: | Birgit Alber, Alan Prince |
| Comment: | ch. 2.1 of Alber & Prince (in prep.) |
| Length: | 52 p. |
| Abstract: | We examine an OT system projected from patterns of syntax-prosody relations in Tokyo Japanese, as analyzed by Ito & Mester (2020). Its interest is at least twofold. Substantively, the system incorporates Ito & Mester's novel insights into how various streams of information influence the choice of prosodic phrasing under the Match theory of Selkirk (2009). Match theory commits to evaluating a single aspect of syntax-prosody relations: structural identity. The principal issue for the theory is then how output prosodic structure comes to diverge from input syntax under the impact of markedness constraints on prosody per se, the only resource allowed to favor divergence. We focus on the typology generated by the set of two word inputs considered by Ito & Mester. This limits the range of certain of their proposals (for example, prosodic recursion) but allows other essentials to emerge clearly. Formally, the Property Analysis turns out to be of considerable interest on its own. It uses only 'elementary' properties of the form Cj <> Ck, where Cj, Ck name individual constraints of the system. Further, all properties take the form Cj <> B, where B is the same single constraint appearing throughout. We call this kind of typology "pseudo-parametric" in that it resembles a parametric analysis in some respects and differs in others. In particular, when constraints dominate B, their demands are indeed satisified, as we'd expect if they were parameters turned "on." But the system entails a pervasive binary default, due to the fact that OT domination does not turn constraints "off," and of course even if "off" among optima, a constraint may play a crucial role in weeding out harmonically bounded forms no matter where it sits in a ranking. All these effects follow from the one mechanism of domination-driven filtration proper to OT. Hence, the "pseudo." This forms Ch. 2.1 of the monograph Alber & Prince (in prep.) However, it is meant to be accessible to those acquainted with OT who may not have read Ch. 1 (ROA-1381). Table of Contents 2.1 The System SP2 2.1.1 Syntax, Prosody, and SP2 2.1.2 The system SP2 2.1.3 The typology of SP2 2.1.4 Analysis by search: Why Japanese is Ax.NL 2.1.4.1 A note on the syntax 2.1.4.2 The syntax and the prosody 2.1.5 Summary 2.1.6 Postlude. Pseudo-parametric typologies in general |
| Type: | Paper/tech report |
| Area/Keywords: | typology, Property Theory, formal analysis, syntax-prosody interface |
| Article: | Version 1 |