On the Relation between Syntactic Phrases and Phonological Phrases

Abstract

This article argues that the relation between syntactic XPs and phonological phrases is subject to a constraint, WRAP-XP, that demands that each XP be contained in a phonological phrase. WRAP-XP is argued to interact with the constraints on edge alignment proposed by Selkirk (1986, 1995), with a constraint against recursive structure, and with a constraint aligning an edge of a focus with a phonological phrase. WRAP-XP is intended to replace, and improve on, an earlier proposal by Hale and Selkirk (1987) to the effect that lexical government plays a role in the syntax-prosody mapping. The languages discussed in more detail are Tohono O'odham, Kimatuumbi, and Chicheŵa.