Pitch Phonemes

We shall now examine the phonemes of

pitch, a third category of supra-
segmental phonemes.
Like phonemes of stress, the phonemes
of pitch are relative values.
Four Contrasting Levels of Pitch
We recognize four contrasting levels of
pitch
low/ 1/
mid/ 2/ represents normal pitch
high /3/
extra high/ 4/ (for special emphasis)
Placement of Numbers
In any utterance, the pitch phonemes
are placed immediately in front of the
syllables which they mark,except in the
case of the last syllable which has
numbers on both sides.
/2 n + wcnt + 3 japip 1 /
Only mark points at which contrast
occurs.
Intonation Contours
The distribution of the pitch phonemes
of an utterance ,plus the terminal
juncture, makes up the Intonation
Contour
Every intonation contour consists of
pitch phonemes rising to a single peak
and falling from that peak to a terminal
juncture
Intonation Contour
[ay + wcnt + kmpi p ' ]
/231' /
'
Pitch Phonemes
Every utterance contains a single
peakof stress, a single peak of pitch and
ends in a terminal juncture
The highest pitch phoneme usually falls
on the syllable which has the primary
stress
Pitch Phonemes
In any utterance , the pitch phonemes
are placed immediately in front of the
syllables which they mark except in the
case of the last syllable which the
phoneme follows
2 n + wcnt + 3 japip 1 '
2 ay + wcnt + 3 kmpip 1 '
Minimal Pair
Which of the following utterances
means coffee, not milk ?
/2 ay + want + 3 k5Ii 1 ' /
/2 o. + want + 4 k5Ii 1 ' /
The second one because of extra high
pitch
Minimal Pair
The intonation contour /233' / is
characteristic of a question.
Do the following utterances differ in
meaning?
/ 2 j an + kn + 3 sip 1 ' /
/2 j an + kn + 3 sip 3 ' /
First statement is a statement and the
second is a question
Pitch Phonemes
/ jan + kn + 3 sip 3 ---/
( John can sing, but he cant dance)
The terminal juncture begins at pitch
level /3/ and remains at that level
Summary
Every utterance has an intonation
contour
Every intonation contour has a single
pitch
Every intonation contour ends in a
terminal juncture
Minimal Pair
/2 ar + yu + 3 g oip 3 ' /
/ 2 ar + yu + 4 goip4 ' /
Which of the utterances indicate
surprise?
The second one -as indicated by the
higher pitch symbols
Minimal Pairs
Meaning
Is John here?
John is here.
John is here- but he
wont stay.
John is here (not
there)
Utterance
/2 janiz +3 hir3' /
/2 jani z + 3 hir 1' /
/2 janiz + 3 hir1 ' /
/2 jani z + 3 hir 3 -- /
/ 2 jani z +3 hir 1 ' /
Summary-stress ,pitch, and
juncture phonemes illustrated
/ 2 pIiz 2 -- 2 t cI + miyc3st5ri 1 ' /
[polite request]
/2 pIiz --- 2 tcI + miyc 4 st5ri 1 ' /
[emphatic request]
/2 pIiz ' 4 tcI + miyc3 st5ri 3 ' /
[begging]