Cat_ToBI
labeling system

The uses of Cat_ToBI

Description
of the system

Prosodic phrasing

Tonal
representation

Pitch accents


H*


L*

H+L*


L*+H


L+H*


L+>H*


L+¡H*

 

How to discriminate between L*+H and L+H*

L*+H

This pitch accent is realized as a low tone on the accented syllable followed by a rise on the posttonic syllable. The peak is typically realized at the end of the posttonic syllable, and sometimes later.

L+H*

This pitch accent is phonetically realized as a rising pitch movement during the accented syllable. The rise starts at the onset of the accented syllable and ends at the end of that syllable.

Example 1:
L*+H

Example 2:
L+H*

Poilte request

Demana-ho a la Maria.
[Ask Mary.]

Strong command

Demana-ho a la Maria!
[Ask Mary!]

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Explanations

These two examples are two similar sentences, but the illocutionary force is different: the first is a polite request, and the second one a strong command.

In the polite request, the prenuclear accent is L*+H: there is a low plateau during the accented syllable and then the pitch starts to rise in the next syllable.

In the strong command, the prenuclear accent is L+H*: the pitch rises during the accented syllable and the peak is aligned with the end of this syllable.

In both pitch accents, there is a pitch rise. The difference between the two is that the rise is aligned with the accented syllable in L+H*, and the pitch keeps low during the whole accented syllable and the rise starts in the next syllable in L*+H.