The Syntactic and Phonological Interface of English Pied-piping Structure

This study explores the interaction between syntax and phonology, focusing on pied-piping and preposition stranding within linguistic interfaces. Since the 1990s, research has increasingly examined how syntactic movements influence prosodic patterns. Generative grammarians (e.g., Chomsky 1995) suggest that pied-piping reflects the interaction between syntactic and phonological constraints, advocating principles of economy. By applying phase theory and the prosodic hierarchy hypothesis, this paper analyzes pied-piping structures to understand their alignment with prosodic patterns. Recent studies on the syntax-phonology interface reveal that intonation shifts in pied-piping may signify different pragmatic intentions, such as formality, when compared to preposition stranding. Additionally, Elfner (2017) emphasizes that prosodic structures can serve as diagnostics for syntactic structures. Rather than treating syntax and phonology as independent domains, this research argues for their dynamic interaction, influencing both word order and prosody.