Prosodic correspondence in tone sandhi (original) (raw)

The research addresses the extension of the correspondence relation in Optimality Theory (OT) to encompass outputs related in prosodic structures, specifically focusing on tone sandhi phenomena in Mandarin and Sixian-Hakka. By analyzing the intricate relationships between prosodic units and their morphosyntactic counterparts, it establishes the significance of prosodic correspondence in evaluating tonal changes without necessitating direct morphosyntactic links. Empirical evidence from speech perception experiments supports the model, illustrating how listeners can anticipate tonal alterations based on prosodic features rather than lexical context.