Chp.12 Metrical Principles and Parameters

METRICAL PRINCIPLES
AND PARAMETERS
FROM:
MUHAMMAD AZIZ
MSF23007601
M. PHIL LINGUISTICS
TO:
Dr. ALAMDAR NABI SYED
ENGLISH PHRASAL AND COMPOUND STRESS
 Phrasal Collocations vs. Binary Compounds: Phrasal collocations in English typically have
the main stress falling on the right. Binary compounds, on the other hand, often have greater
prominence on the left. Personal names follow the stress pattern of phrases.
 Metrical Principles and Parameters: Stress on the edge of some domains is common across
languages. "Project the right-most/left-most asterisk" means copying the last/first asterisk in a
metrical line onto the line above.
 End Stress Rule (1):The rule states to project the right-most/left-most asterisk. This means
copying the last/first asterisk onto the line immediately above.
 Phrasal Stress: Using the phrase "time flies" as an example: Applying End Stress (1) in its
"right-most" setting. The last baseline asterisk above "flies" is projected onto the new line,
showing that "flies" has greater prominence.
 Compound Stress: Considering the compound "time-flies":Applying the same procedure would
give an incorrect result because we know the first word in many compounds is more prominent.
EXTRAMETRICALITY
 Extrametricality: is like saying, "Let's ignore the stress on the first word of a compound
for now.“ We show this by using "< >" symbols around the first word, making it "invisible"
for stress.
 Usage: It helps us fix the stress in compounds without needing new rules each time.
Imagine covering up the first word with your finger to focus on the second word's stress.
Using extrametricality keeps our stress rules consistent for compounds. It's easier to learn
and understand because we don't need different rules for every compound.
 Only for Specific Cases: Extrametricality isn't for every word. We only use it when we're
dealing with compounds like "time-flies.“
* Stress line 1
* <*> * <*> Baseline
time-flies — time-flies
End Stress [Right]
4
 The Elsewhere Condition: is a rule in linguistics that tells us which conflicting

rule should apply first when one rule's environment is more specific than the
THE ELSEWHERE
other. In the case of "Extrametricality" and "End Stress" in compounds,
"Extrametricality" wins out because it has a more limited scope of application.
This principle guides how linguists understand and apply rules in phonology and
CONDITION
other areas of language study.

* * Stress line 1
* * * * * <*> Baseline
time-flies — time-flies — time-flies
End Stress [Right] | Extrametricality
Understanding the conflict: “End stress" wants to project stress to the right-most asterisk.
"Extrametricality" wants to make the same right-most asterisk invisible for stress.
Environment of the rules: “End stress" has no specific limit to where it applies.
"Extrametricality" only applies in compounds, which is a more specific rule.
Elsewhere condition:
given two rules such that:
(i) their inputs are identical
(ii) their outputs are incompatible
(iii) the environment of one rule is the same as the environment of the other rule plus something
extra
then, the rule with the richer environment is ordered first, and, if it does apply, the other rule is
skipped.
In metrical phonology, the "elsewhere condition" ensures that when two conflicting stress
assignment rules apply to a word, the rule with the more specific environment is chosen. For
example:
rule A: stress the first syllable of a two-syllable word.
Rule B: stress the second syllable of a two-syllable word.
Words:
"banana" (rule A): stressed as "ba-NA-na."
"Table" (rule B): stressed as "TA-ble."
STRESS ASSIGNMENT IN WORDS
 Simple Pattern: French words have a straightforward stress pattern: stress almost always falls
on the last syllable unless it ends with a "schwa" sound. The "schwa" at the end of French words
is not considered for stress.
 Formalized Rule: French word stress can be described with two rules: 1. Extrametricality:
Ignore the "schwa" at the right edge (if there is one). 2. Asterisk Placement: End Stress [Right] -
stress falls on the right-most syllable. Words like "exTREme," "allocaTION," "exTRA,"
"candiDAT," "opiNION" follow this pattern.
 English Word Stress:
 Complexity: English word stress is more complex and varies. Examples like "exTREme,"
"alloCAtion," "EXtra," "CANdidate," "oPInion" show varied stress patterns.
• "Extreme" stresses the final or second syllable.
• "Allocation" stresses the third (penultimate) syllable.
• "Extra" and "Candidate" stress the first syllable, but counting from the end, stress is
penultimate in "extra" and antepenultimate in "candidate."
• "Opinion" can have stress on the second or antepenultimate syllable.
Basic Stress Pattern of English Nouns
Marking stress: stress in English words will be marked with an acute accent (´) on the vowel carrying
the stress. This is not part of regular English spelling but is found in dictionaries as part of the phonetic
information for each word.
Initial observation:
stress in three-syllable nouns:
words in the set (15) are three syllables long, and stress falls on the first syllable.
Example words: cińema, pla´typus, teńement, i´mpetusStress is marked with an acute accent on the
first vowel.
Antepenultimate stress:
longer words with antepenultimate stress (set 16):
longer words like "aspa´ragus," "alumińium," "alumińum, also have stress.
Stress in these longer words is not at the beginning.
Stress is located on the third syllable from the end (antepenultimate).
Metrical procedures:
Available metrical devices: in English, the metrical devices available are extrametricality and end
stress.
Extrametricality nullifies the right-most element in the grid. End stress enhances the right-most element
in the grid.
THE METRICAL FOOT
 Definition of a Foot: A FOOT is a pairing of S-W or W-S syllables. These feet can be LEFT-
HEADED or RIGHT-HEADED.
 Left-Headed: Stress comes first (S-W)
 Right-Headed: Stress comes second (W-S)
 The terms "foot" and "head" are used in versification and metrical theory. It's important to note
that we're not saying normal language is poetry; these terms are just for analysis.
 Formalism and Terminology:
 Binarity of Feet: The configurations S-W, W-S consist of exactly two syllables. (S W) or (W S).
Feet are enclosed in parentheses for clarity.
9
 Strong and Weak Elements:

 Head of the Foot: The strong element of a foot is the HEAD. We refer to the left-headed
foot (S-W) as the strong syllable followed by a weak one. Similarly, the right-headed foot
(W-S) is a weak syllable followed by a strong one.
 Metrical Constructs:
 Metrical Machinery: The metrical constructs are Left-Headed Foot = (S W) & Right-
Headed Foot = (W S). These constructs help us analyze stress patterns in words.
 Grid Interpretation:
 Representing Feet in the Grid: The foot's extension is shown in ordinary parentheses in
the baseline. The location of the foot's head is marked with an asterisk in line 1.
10
MAIN WORD STRESS IN ENGLISH

 Steps:
1. Input lexical form without metrical structure.
2. Construct baseline by projecting syllable heads.
3. Make last element extrametrical.
4. Build left-headed foot at right edge.
(25) * Stress line 1 <*> Baseline
* * * * * * <*> * <* *> <*>
asparagus — asparagus — asparagus
(24.1) (24.2)
Result: Correct main stress assigned to "pa" syllable.
MULTIPLE STRESS
 Multiple stress is a feature of English word stress, where words can have more than one stressed
syllable. Secondary stresses occur at specific intervals from the primary stress, and iterative foot
construction helps explain their placement. End Stress [Right] is used to complete the metrical
grid and indicate the levels of prominence in the word.
 Iterative Foot Construction: The process of building feet from right to left helps account for
secondary stresses.
 Application: This analysis helps phonologists and linguists understand how multiple stresses are
assigned in English words
 When we say "hamamelidanthemum," we're actually saying it with three "feet": "ha," "me," and
"dan" each get a turn to be strong.
Stress Typology: Metrical Parameters 12
 Metrical Parameters: Different languages exhibit varied stress patterns in words. Metrical
parameters are crucial in determining where stress falls in words. Three main parameters explain stress
differences:
1. Foot head location: Determines if stress is left or right.
2. Construction direction: Decides if stress is assigned right-to-left or left-to-right.
3. Extrametricality: Presence or absence of this determines stress.
 Parameter Settings
 English nouns: Left-headed feet with extrametricality on the right.
 English verbs: Right-headed feet with no extrametricality.
 English Nouns vs. Verbs
 English nouns typically stress the third-from-last syllable, seen in words like "asparagus."

Word-Level Stress: Line Conflation
 Line Conflation Illustration: Macedonian word "vodeniéari te" undergoes Line Conflation to
focus stress on "éari.“ Shows how conflation simplifies the grid by eliminating unnecessary feet.
 Faithfulness Condition: Grid constituents need a head and vice versa. When Line Conflation
removes line 1, feet without heads automatically vanish.
 Comparison: Line Conflation vs. Iterativeness
• Line Conflation simplifies by deleting extra feet.
• Iterativeness parameter adds complexity.
• Occam's razor favors Line Conflation for simplicity.
 End Stress Effect: End Stress may simply add a line-2 asterisk or create a full line-1 constituent.
For Maranungku, a line-1 constituent would include all feet, like in "wóngowutanawan."
THANK
YOU
Mirjam Nilsson
206-555-0146
[email protected]
www.contoso.com

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METRICAL PRINCIPLES

 The Elsewhere Condition: is a rule in linguistics that tells us which conflicting

other areas of language study.

 Strong and Weak Elements:

MAIN WORD STRESS IN ENGLISH

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