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Match Theory and the Asymmetry Problem : An Example from Stockholm Swedish

Ishihara, Shinichiro LU orcid and Myrberg, Sara LU (2023) In Languages 8(2).
Abstract

This article discusses what we call the Asymmetry Problem, a theoretical question of how asymmetric properties of prosodic phrasing should generally be accounted for within the framework of Match Theory. Unlike Alignment Theory, in which phrasing asymmetry can be derived by mapping constraints (e.g., Align-XP), Match Theory cannot derive any phrasing asymmetry from mapping (i.e., Match) constraints. Thus, Match Theory may seem to face empirical problems when data appear to call for an asymmetric ranking of mapping constraints. This article starts with the discussion of one such case in Stockholm Swedish, where asymmetric ranking of Alignment constraints has been proposed to account for the data. It will be argued that prosodic asymmetry... (More)

This article discusses what we call the Asymmetry Problem, a theoretical question of how asymmetric properties of prosodic phrasing should generally be accounted for within the framework of Match Theory. Unlike Alignment Theory, in which phrasing asymmetry can be derived by mapping constraints (e.g., Align-XP), Match Theory cannot derive any phrasing asymmetry from mapping (i.e., Match) constraints. Thus, Match Theory may seem to face empirical problems when data appear to call for an asymmetric ranking of mapping constraints. This article starts with the discussion of one such case in Stockholm Swedish, where asymmetric ranking of Alignment constraints has been proposed to account for the data. It will be argued that prosodic asymmetry arises from the directionality of prosodic heads (i.e., right- or left-headedness) rather than asymmetric syntax–prosody mapping, and that asymmetry can be explained through the interaction of Match constraints with markedness constraints that determine the distribution of prosodic heads. Furthermore, it will be proposed that such an analysis reduces the need of Alignment-based mapping constraints and therefore follows the Minimal Interface Hypothesis, which assumes Match constraints as the sole syntax–prosody mapping constraints. To support this line of analysis, it will be shown that the Asymmetry Problem in Japanese, for which it had previously been argued that both Match and Alignment constraints are needed, can also be accounted for under this hypothesis.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
alignment theory, intonational phrase, Japanese, match theory, phonological phrase, Stockholm Swedish, syntax–prosody mapping, the asymmetry problem
in
Languages
volume
8
issue
2
article number
102
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • scopus:85163788372
ISSN
2226-471X
DOI
10.3390/languages8020102
project
The phonology of subordinate clauses and syntactic processing in Japanese
Skånska och danska intonationssystem - i övergången mellan nordgermanska och västgermanska
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2023 by the authors.
id
34d71b8e-6425-477a-8c9a-91ebde46d255
date added to LUP
2023-08-06 13:48:12
date last changed
2023-11-22 20:40:11
@article{34d71b8e-6425-477a-8c9a-91ebde46d255,
  abstract     = {{<p>This article discusses what we call the Asymmetry Problem, a theoretical question of how asymmetric properties of prosodic phrasing should generally be accounted for within the framework of Match Theory. Unlike Alignment Theory, in which phrasing asymmetry can be derived by mapping constraints (e.g., Align-XP), Match Theory cannot derive any phrasing asymmetry from mapping (i.e., Match) constraints. Thus, Match Theory may seem to face empirical problems when data appear to call for an asymmetric ranking of mapping constraints. This article starts with the discussion of one such case in Stockholm Swedish, where asymmetric ranking of Alignment constraints has been proposed to account for the data. It will be argued that prosodic asymmetry arises from the directionality of prosodic heads (i.e., right- or left-headedness) rather than asymmetric syntax–prosody mapping, and that asymmetry can be explained through the interaction of Match constraints with markedness constraints that determine the distribution of prosodic heads. Furthermore, it will be proposed that such an analysis reduces the need of Alignment-based mapping constraints and therefore follows the Minimal Interface Hypothesis, which assumes Match constraints as the sole syntax–prosody mapping constraints. To support this line of analysis, it will be shown that the Asymmetry Problem in Japanese, for which it had previously been argued that both Match and Alignment constraints are needed, can also be accounted for under this hypothesis.</p>}},
  author       = {{Ishihara, Shinichiro and Myrberg, Sara}},
  issn         = {{2226-471X}},
  keywords     = {{alignment theory; intonational phrase; Japanese; match theory; phonological phrase; Stockholm Swedish; syntax–prosody mapping; the asymmetry problem}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Languages}},
  title        = {{Match Theory and the Asymmetry Problem : An Example from Stockholm Swedish}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/languages8020102}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/languages8020102}},
  volume       = {{8}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}