ABSTRACT

Syllabification determines syllable weight, which in turn determines word stress and foot structure. Many proposals of syllabification assume some version of Max Onset. I propose that Max Onset be replaced with Revised Max Onset. Unlike Max Onset, which observes the Law of Initials but not the Law of Finals, Revised Max Onset observes both. In addition, Revised Max Onset assumes simultaneous evaluation of syllabic and metrical structures, made possible in a constraint-based analysis. I show that (i) Revised Max Onset is better than Max Onset when measured against a common set of criteria, (ii) the Weight-Stress Principle is stronger than previously thought, and (iii) words with exceptional syllabic or metrical structures are far fewer than previously thought.