Syntax and prosody: antisymmetry, hierarchy and isomorphism

Abstract

Here I consider two important theoretical proposals of generative grammar tradition, both developed on independent grounds: Kayne (1995), about the antisymmetric character of syntax, and Selkirk (1980), about the theory of prosodic domains. The goal in this paper is to demonstrate that there exists a fundamental relationship between these two theoretical proposals, one of cause and consequence. I argue in favor of the claim that hierarchical prosodic domains are an expression of hierarchical domains established within syntactic structures and that, as a consequence, there is isomorphism between syntax and prosody and it should be explored as a way of evaluating hypothetical syntactic representations. In order words, prosodic properties may be useful in choosing between two competing syntactic phrasings of an expression when no other independent criteria is available.