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76 The phonological nature of the beginning of the word(31)Some prefix vowels before a consonant cluster containing a trapped consonantare vocalised (31a), while others are not (31b). This state of affairs,we recall, is related to the fact that in Polish the regular vowel-zeroalternation in prefixes is found only in a class of verbs called DerivedImperfective (DI) (see the discussion in section 2.1 above). Outside ofthis specific morphological category the vocalisation of Polish prefixes isoften unpredictable and permeated by morphological restrictions (seeLaskowski 1975, Gussmann 1980a, b, Rubach 1984, Szpyra 1992b, Pawelec 1989, Rowicka 1999a, c). Given this fact,Scheer (2004) automatically disqualifies the forms in (31b) pointingout that such prefixes do not reveal any property of the root since theirfinal nucleus is not governed by the vowel or trapped consonant but bythe fact that it is domain final. Hence, he claims the phonological behaviourof trapped consonants cannot be judged on the grounds of the unvocalisedexamples in (31b). Furthermore, he claims that the words in (31a)must constitute a single domain as otherwise the prefix vowel would beinaudible. He concludes that Polish represents the reverse pattern whencompared to Czech, the same prefixes in both languages behaving differentlybefore the same roots CrC; that is, in Czech they are always mutewhile in Polish they surface. Before we shall attempt to formulate a solutionto the forms under (31), a word concerning the representation ofsyllabic consonants is in order here.In Government Phonology syllabic consonants are claimed to be simultaneouslylinked to two constituents. For example, Harris(1994:224) proposes to represent syllabic consonants as a single melodicunit associated with a consonantal slot but which at the same timespreads to the nuclear empty position. There are two theory-internalreasons why syllabic consonants cannot be linked to a single constituentonly. Firstly, in the Element Theory the segments [i] and [j] are reprea.roze+[drg]aæroze+[brn]¹æ ??ode+[bZm']ieæode+[gZm']ieæb.roz+[trf]oniæz+[trf]o¿yæroz+[bZm']ieæod+[kSt]usiæroz+[krf]awiæ‘become vibrating’‘flounder’‘sound back’‘rumble back’‘squander’‘become fearful’‘sound’‘cough up’‘cause to bleed’