Week 10 - tone/segment

Question 1

the nature of the segment

Answer 1

earlier generative model (as in SPE) phonological representations (UR,SR, in btwn) = LINEAR (=UNI-LINEAR)

   - single linear sequence w DISCRETE segments
   - feature spec for SIMULTANEOUS phonetic realisation w/in each seg
  - INDEPENDENT of Feature Specs of Neighbouring Segs

segment as position-in-a-word is distinguished from the tone and other specifications that are realised at that position in the word.

• segment can be viewed as bare word position or TIMING SLOT n often represented as X

Question 2

What’s not explicit in (SPE) linear representations

Answer 2

no EXPLICIT expression of:
1. Sub-Groupings of segments within words
2. Relationships between Feature Specs of diff Segments in a word
> eg no recog [-voi] spec of final [s] in [tæps] is related to [-voi] of preceding obstruent [p]
> (exp by phonological RULES not representations)

Question 3

Tone

Answer 3

Tone lang use DIFFS in PITCH to distinguish words
- ie PITCH = CONTRASTIVE property of morphemes + must be spec. in lexical entries

ma = mother, hemp, horse, scold

low - L à
high - H á	
can become:
falling - HL â
rising - LH ǎ

Question 4

tones and segments

Answer 4

Phonetic RISING tone results where grammar (morphology/syntax) brings TOGETHER VOWELS with otherwise L/H tones

Rising tones = sequence of LH tones assoc with SINGLE VOWEL

L H —> LH
à á G ǎ

rising = not a distinct category
- result of how BASIC tones L&H associate w VOWELS

Question 5

Persistence of Tone

Answer 5

UNDERLYING TONE PATTERN /persists/ even when NON-TONAL aspects /change/

L H —> LH
à á G ǎ

L tone of stem NOT lost, when vowel loses ability to bear tone (by changing to GLIDE)
> L RE-assoc with Next vowel
> COMB w H to make LH

Question 6

Independence of Tone

Answer 6

Persistence of Tone pattern = TONE SPEC = relatively Independant of other (NON_TONAL) features of vowels

Tone + non-tonal feats rep:

- seperate tiers
- multi-linear represenations
- w ASSOC. lines that indicate HOW tiers relate

Question 7

Tonal Melodies

Answer 7

occurring surface tone patterns (σ = syllable) are restricted in Margi: a set of tonal ‘melodies’ over words.

2σ	roots	 1σ	roots	
HH	                  H	
LL	                  L	
LH	                  R	
(*HL)                 (*F)	

If a melody is a sequence of tone specifications, and since the number of syllables varies,

- The underlying melody for ‘all H’ must be H. 
- The underlying melody for ‘all L’ must be L.

Question 8

Underlying Melodies & Association

Answer 8

association of underlying tonal melodies 2 principles:

• tone associates w as many vowels as avail in word
• vowel associates w as many tones as avail in melody

Question 9

Tonal Polarity

Answer 9

The structure of the verb phrase in Margi is:

Prepositions Verb Postpositions

• Tones in prepositions and postpositions are the opposite value to the tone of the verb.