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

M%

M% is manifested phonetically as:

  • a rising movement to a mid tone target when it occurs after a low tone.
  • a mid level plateau when it occurs after a high tone (the mid tone spreads to the left).

It is found in pedagogic enumerations, in obviousness and disapproval statements and in stylized vocatives. In this last case, it is normally accompanied by a lengthening of the last syllable and is realized as a sustained mid tone.

Examples

Example 1: Pedagogic enumeration

Ve en Joan... i després la Bàrbara...
[Joan comes... and then Bàrbara...]

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Example 2: Disapproval statement

(No estic d’acord amb) la Bàrbara...
[(I disapprove of) Bàrbara...]

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Example 3: Insistent vocative

Maria!
[Maria!]

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Example 4: Insistent vocative

Bàrbara!
[Bàrbara!]

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