PHONOLOGICAL REPRESENTATIONS AND THE ROLE OF PROSODY IN SENTENCE STRUCTURE

Abstract

This article explores the interaction between prosodic structure and phonological representation in determining the sentence-level syntax and meaning. It examines how prosody affects hierarchical structure of the sentence constituents and syntactic parsing. The study draws on theoretical models in generative phonology and syntax and merges insights from Optimality Theory and the Prosodic Hierarchy model. Empirical evidence in multiple languages is presented to exemplify cross-linguistic effects in which prosodic cues guide or take precedence over syntactic structure in sentence processing online. Implications of prosodic phrasing for sentence interpretation and ambiguity resolution are also covered, addressing the cognitive and neurological evidence presented for the combination of phonological and syntactic information. This book is particularly well-timed for phonologists, syntacticians, psycholinguists, and computational linguists, offering a balanced view of how sound structure intersects with grammar.