It is argued that syntactic preference principles such as Right Association and Minimal Attachment are unsatisfactory as usually formulated. Among the difficulties are: (1) dependence on ill-specified or implausible principles of parser operation; (2) dependence on questionable assumptions about syntax; (3) lack of provision, even in principle, for integration with semantic and pragmatic preference principles; and (4) apparent counterexamples, even when discounting (1)--(3). A possible approach to a solution is sketched.