Match Theory and the Asymmetry Problem : An Example from Stockholm Swedish
(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.
(Less)
- author
- Ishihara, Shinichiro LU and Myrberg, Sara LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2023-06
- 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}}, }