From edgemost to lexical stress: Diachronic paths, typology and representation

Abstract

This article presents a theory of the development of lexical accents in edgemost stress systems, and their representations. It is shown that, first, the directionality of different levels of prominence at the word and above-word level, and, second, morphologization as a result of prosodic weakening work together for the development of various types of lexical accents. Our proposal makes a number of predictions with respect to: (a) whether a system will develop lexical accents, (b) their initial shape when the default stress is fossilized, and (c) their subsequent reshaping. To substantiate our predictions, we examine approximately fifty edgemost stress systems. Furthermore, we propose a two-dimensional theory of the representation of lexical accents that distinguishes between the morphological affiliation of an accent and its locus of pronunciation. The soundness of our theory is tested not only on the grounds of its explanatory power in capturing diachronic changes, but also with respect to its empirical coverage of contemporary theoretical issues concerning the representation of lexical accents.