Wh-word questions were tonally marked in a
similar, though not identical, manner as the focus cases, as can be seen in the example below:
The speaker selects a new register for the wh-word, [kidhar],
(286-385 Hz, versus 217-325 Hz in [a:p]), assigning LH, followed by an
f0 drop to the end of the utterance. The wh-word resembles a focus
word in its added prominence through a unique register for the
wh-word and for following constituents. Wh-words do differ from focus
words in that the mechanism for indicating greater prominence is not
register expansion so much as an "upstepping" of the Ls
andHs in question. An upstepped LH would involve
maintaining a similar difference between L and
H
while shifting its absolute f0 higher in the speaker's pitch range.
Thus the upstepped L would be at approximately the same "height" as the
preceding H.
You can reach me at jharns@umich.edu.
Last Updated: 12/03/97
Go
back to the Hindi Intonation Home Page.
Go
back to Jimmy's Virtual Office.