To Predict or to Memorize: Prominence in Inaugural Addresses

The assignment of phrasal prominence has been variously attributed to syntactic structure, part speech, predictability, informativity, and speaker's intent. A recent account asserts that is memorized on a by-word basis as Accent Ratio (AR), the likelihood word accented (Nenkova et al. 2007). We examined whether AR outperforms traditional predictors, in particular syntax if not, predictors shed light variance left unexplained by AR. used corpus spoken American English consisting first inaugural addresses six presidents, hand-annotated for stress two native speakers. Regression models fitted data revealed AR, syntax, informativity all independently matter. Dividing into high-prominence low-prominence tokens further are significant among words, but only words. conclude although highly successful predictor, certain aspects require reference informativity.