Extrametricality

In linguistics, extrametricality is a tool for prodosic analysis of a word. In certain languages, a particular segment of a word or prosodic unit may be ignored for the purposes of determining the stress structure of that unit. This segment would be regarded as extrametrical. Most typically final syllables are extrametrical, but final-consonant, final-mora, and final-segment extrametricality are also common.

An example of extrametricality is found in English, in which the final consonant of every word may be analysed as extrametrical. This explains the licensing of what would otherwise be superheavy (trimoraic) syllables in English as long as they are word-final (an example of this would be any final syllable containing a long vowel or diphthong and one or more coda consonants, e.g. main /ˈmeɪn/) but the lack of certain 4-mora syllables (such as those containing a long vowel or diphthong followed by a bimoraic [ŋ]). However, other analyses of these patterns which avoid the need for extrametricality are possible: it may be posited that Weight By Position on English applies only preconsonantaly (although this leaves words ending in a long vowel and a coda cluster problematic); another analysis might propose that all English words end in a catalectic syllable, and the apparently word-final consonant(s) are parsed in the onset of this syllable.