The three degrees of metrical strength in Strict CV metrics, a theory without parsing

Abstract Typology establishes three degrees of metrical strength. Foot-based theories designate the intermediate degree as that of unparsed syllables, i.e. syllables that are not part of a foot. However, this denotation of parsing mispredicts massively; moreover, there is no real reason why such unparsed syllables should be of intermediate prosodic strength (as opposed to the weakest or strongest). This paper presents an alternative account in Strict CV metrics (Ulfsbjorninn 2014, Faust & Ulfsbjorninn 2018). The correct three-way hierarchy follows from the basic operation of the theory, namely incorporation , whereby one nucleus becomes prominent by incorporating metrical significance from another nucleus. Examples come first from the more classical cases of Dutch and English and then from three test-cases provided by unrelated languages: St’át’imcets (Lillooet Salish), Burmese, and Tiberian Hebrew. No appeal is made to the notion of parsing.