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Consonantal interaction31Indo-European languages sonority must increase in complex onsets andwhy there are languages, like Polish and Czech, which violate this constraintso frequently. In this work we shall address these questions andtry to find solutions to the problems outlined in section 4 of this chapter.However, before we look in greater detail at the word-initial consonantclusters in Polish (Chapter Two) and certain sequences of consonants inEnglish (Chapter Three), we shall attempt to explain the reason whylanguages fall into two general groups, i.e. only #TR clusters or both #RTand #TR. It will become evident that only when we accept the strict CVskeleton and the idea of the initial empty CV unit can we propose a reasonablesolution to the phonotactic dilemma.5. Consonantal interactionThe solutions available within the Government Phonology frameworkconcerning the syllabification of consonant clusters in Polish can be foundin numerous studies, e.g. Gussmann and Kaye (1993), Gussmannand Cyran (1998), Cyran and Gussmann (1999). Theseanalyses are based on one of the main GP principles which says thatsyllabic constituents are at most binary branching (Kaye et al. 1990).Cyran (2003) in his analysis of Polish complex consonant sequencesgoes one step further. He demonstrates that the radical hypothesis of thesyllable structure, i.e. the strict alternation of consonant and vocalic positions,is fully justified (see also Rowicka 1999a, Scheer 2004).He points to the fact that the Interonset relation (IO) 19 not only can accountfor the same effects as the branching onset, but it is actually requiredto simplify the theory he develops. In order to prove his point, C y -ran (2003) presents five GP theory-internal tests. Thus, he looks at theapplication of Proper Government across both structures, i.e. branchingonset (BrO) and Interonset relation, the effects connected with the principleof Government Licensing, prefixation, distribution of the word-finalTR# clusters, and finally the melodic constraints on branching onsetsand Interonset relations. The conclusions that follow from his analysisare that every branching onset can be exchanged by a sequence oftwo onsets separated by an empty nuclear position.19Interonset relation, we recall, is a relation between two onsets separated by anempty nuclear position. Cyran (2003) indicates that all traditional branching onsetscould be represented in this way, hence, he advocates the Strict CV model.