Cat_ToBI
labeling system

The uses of Cat_ToBI

Description
of the system

Prosodic phrasing

Tonal
representation

Boundary tones

Final boundary tones at a break indice of level 4:


L%

M%

H%

HH%

LH%

LM%

HL%

LHL%

Final boundary tones at a break indice of level 3:



L-

M-

H-


HH-

LH-

LHL-

Initial boundary tones:



%H

How to discriminate between H% and HH%

H%

H% is manifested phonetically as a rising pitch movement, coming from either a high or a low pitch accent.

It is found at the end of neutral calling contours.

HH%

HH% is manifested phonetically as a very sharp rising pitch movement at the end of the phrase, often attaining a very high frequency in the speaker’s range.

It is found at the end of rising yes-no questions and echo questions.

Example 1: H%

Example 2: HH%

Neutral calling contour

Isabel Figueres!
[Isabel Figueres!]

Interrogative calling contour

Isabel Figueres?
[Isabel Figueres?]


click to enlarge

click to enlarge

Explanations

These two examples are two calling contours: the first is neutral and the second one is interrogative.

In both examples the contour is nearly the same: the first stressed syllable bears a low pitch accent, the nuclear pitch accent is rising, and the rise continues into the postaccented syllable.

These two sentences differ in the height of the peak at the end of the postaccented syllable: it is much higher in an interrogative contour (HH%) than in a neutral calling contour (H%).