Most cross-linguistic variation in weight criteria is attributed to the parameterized application of Weight-by-Position adjunction to codas on a language-specific basis (Hayes 1989). This paper explores the hypothesis that coda weight is ultimately predictable from syllable structure. An extensive survey of quantity-sensitive stress systems shows that languages that allow a proportionately larg...

An underlying assumption in terms of sonority distances is that clusters with large are more common than those small distances, as captured the unmarked status and formalized constraints on consonant clusters. A cross-linguistic survey attested 357 languages reveals not most commonly attested. Rather, there a point distance at which largest number When exceeds particular value, starts to decrea...

The human capacity for language is one of the most contentious topics in cognitive science. While some researchers attribute language to domain-general mechanisms, others postulate a specialized language system. When it comes to the phonological component, however, even proponents of domain-specificity concede that specialization is unlikely (Fitch et al., 2005). Phonological competence, in thi...

This work asks how the syllable as a unit is delimited in space and time. To do this we bring together two theoretical approaches to syllable: sonority-based approach which emphasizes spatial organization, coupled oscillator model (Nam, Goldstein & Saltzman 2009) temporal organization. Many languages present challenges these theories, here focus on Georgian, problematic for both approaches,...

Abstract The Sonority Sequencing Principle (SSP) is a fundamental governing principle of syllable structure; however, its details remain contested. This study aims to clarify the empirical status SSP in cross-linguistic 496 languages. We adopt phonetically-grounded definition sonority – acoustic intensity and examine how many languages contain SSP-violating clusters word-initially word-finally....

This study reports on a production experiment investigating tonal and articulatory means of encoding different focus structures in German. Using an electromagnetic articulograph, we examined the movements of the upper and lower lips (related to sonority expansion) during the production of target words occurring in four different focus conditions. We found systematic differences not only between...