Conflicting prosodic and syntactic constraints on special clitics

Abstract

In this paper I elucidate the properties of clausal-scope, special ciitics (as defined in Zwicky (1977)) upon which syntax and prosody impose conflicting requirements. The syntax requires these clitics to be clause-initial, while the prosody requires them to be suffixes,
hence a conflict. A third, ALIGNment constraint restricts against extra-clausal suffixation. I begin with a classic Wackernagel's Law, or second-position, clitic. I then show that other clitics which appear to behave drastically differently can be accounted for using the
same constraints ranked in a different order. The data come primarily from Russian, Tagalog and Warlpiri.