Spelling Out Prosodic Domains: A Multiple Spell-Out Account∗

• Main Author: Sato, Yosuke
• Format: Book Part
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University PressOxford 2009
• Subjects: Gilyak
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780199541126.003.0009; https://academic.oup.com/book/chapter-pdf/52234558/isbn-9780199541126-book-part-9.pdf

Abstract This chapter proposes a general syntax-prosody mapping hypothesis couched within the recent derivational model of syntactic computation known as the Multiple Spell-Out Hypothesis, or MSO (Uriagereka 1999b and Chomsky 2000, 2001, 2004a, 2008; see also Epstein et al. 1998). This hypothesis, which uniquely maps mid-derivational complex objects in syntax to prosodic domains at the PF component, correctly demarcates a set of structural domains within which a variety of prosodic alternations across languages are found and possible. Specifically, the proposed syntax-prosody hypothesis, couched within Uriagereka’s version of the MSO model, makes correct predictions about possible domains within which Taiwanese tone sandhi, French liaison, Gilyak lenition, and Kinyambo high tone deletion are found. However, a certain pattern of soft consonant mutation across CP vs TP boundaries in Welsh poses an apparent problem to the proposed analysis because Uriagereka’s system would not be able to draw a distinction pertinent to the Spell-Out operation between these two categorial nodes. I argue that this problem receives a straightforward explanation once the proposed hypothesis is expanded to incorporate another version of the MSO model known as Phase Theory (Chomsky 2000 et seq.), in particular the notion of CP phase.