Prosodic hierarchy

The prosodic hierarchy is a way linguists describe how speech patterns are organized at different levels. Think of it like a layered structure: smaller units like individual sounds (phones), combine to form syllables, which then group into larger units like feet, intonational phrases, and ultimately sentences. Each level has its own pattern and rhythm, contributing to the melody and flow of speech. This hierarchy helps us understand how different parts of speech work together to create meaningful, natural-sounding language.