Prosody-syntax interface and prosodic phrasing in brazilian portuguese

This paper focuses on the Brazilian Portuguese (PB) prosodic phrasing and has two main goals: (1) to find a correlation between constituents boundaries, as described by Prosodic Hierarchy Theory (Nespor & Vogel, 2007 [1986], a.o.) perception production of spontaneous reading speech breaks, (2) describe phonological characteristics syntactic ranking perceived non edges. The corpus under analysis includes 5 extracts both lasting about 2 minutes each. (LE) emerged from (FE) orthographic transcription which was collected an interview in informal environment. In test, 11 referees heard 10 speaking extracts, without punctuation, marked breaks each them. Both speakers were students at UFRJ, born Rio de Janeiro, 22 38 years old.The results point out that are mainly intonational phrase (I) boundary, regardless style (FE: 91%; LE 99%). However, LE, 64% foreseen I Theory, but FE, just 37% perceived. most usual nuclear contour styles is H+L* L% (this being neutral declarative contour), its occurrence frequency draws distinction FE (67% 30%, respectively). contours like L+H* H% L*+H also produced (34%). general, descendant nuclei predominant, well edge tone L; ascendant distribution low or high boundaries similar. After running statistic appearance L edge, predictive for perception, globally significant. Concerning it statistically checked result points matrix limit (LE: 59%; FE: 61%,), showing endurance edge/I boundary mapping. proved have bigger variation relation predicted, produced, expected, confirmed statistics. Therefore, show fairly robust styles, once only 13% predicted not been so, regarding intonation. Besides, 1,4% (f) (and Is) referees. With this study one may conclude share same grammar, performed type phonological/syntactic cues; nevertheless, these more consistent disperse way adding greater difficulty systematic than LE.