Prosodic words can be identified by
domain markers: non-linguistic or phonological signs that a speaker has reached the beginning or end of a prosodic word. Examples of domain markers could be
word-final devoicing or
vowel harmony. In more formal terms, a prosodic word can be described as a prosodic domain in which phonological
features within the same
lexical unit may spread from one morpheme to another. Functional words like
adpositions tend to be phonologically weak, and, as a result, they often combine to become a part of a larger prosodic word with their lexical hosts. This is common cross-linguistically.
Prosodic words in sign languages A prosodic word in
sign languages can consist of a monosyllabic sign. A monosyllabic sign can be
repeated, resulting in a larger prosodic word. Domain markers in sign languages can include mouthing corresponding spoken words, pointing, or head tilting. == Prosodic vs. grammatical word ==