Sp_ToBI
labeling system

The uses of Sp_ToBI

Description
of the system

Prosodic phrasing

Tonal
representation

Prosodic phrasing

Level 0

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

How to discriminate between levels 3 and 4

How to discriminate between break indices of level 3 and 4

There are some phenomena which may appear within an intonational phrase (IP) but not accross different IPs.
So, on the one hand, a BI 4 inhibits the application of many sandhi rules.
On the other hand, a BI 4 is accompanied by rhythmic cues: it is the domain for pre-boundary lengthening, and it defines the position for pauses.
Finally, it has a precise intonational definition. The IP is the domain of the minimal tune: it consists of one or more pitch accents plus boundary tones. Thus, a BI 4 is always accompanied by the presence of boundary tones.

There are several arguments in favor of a level for an intonationally-defined constituent underneath the intonational phrase: the intermediate phrase (ip).

The first argument is a perceptual one.
In Spanish prosodic transcriptions, transcribers clearly distinguish between two levels of degree of perceived disjuncture. The end of the weaker disjuncture corresponds to a level 3 break index in the ToBI system, while the strong disjuncture corresponds to a level 4 break index.

The second argument relates to intonational marking.
Like the intonational phrase, the intermediate phrase is tonally marked after its final pitch accent (yet not as strongly as the intonational phrase), but the inventory of boundary tones that appear in this position is of a different (but partially overlapping) class.
Typically, H- boundary tones, also called “continuation rises”, mark the end of an intermediate phrase.
Frota, D’Imperio, Elordieta, Prieto & Vigário (2007) examined the phonetics and phonology of prosodic boundaries in such positions in five Romance languages, among them Spanish.
They found that the two dominant boundary tones in statements (located at the end of the first prosodic constituent) were either the continuation rise or the sustained pitch.
By contrast, intonational phrase-final edges were generally signaled by a low boundary tone (L%) and by a wider inventory of boundary tone combinations.

BI 3

Break indices of level 3 (BI 3) correspond to the end of minor prosodic units: they mark the boundaries of intermediate phrases (ips).

BI 4

Break indices of level 4 (BI 4) correspond to the end of major prosodic units: they mark the boundaries of intonational phrases (IPs).

Example 1:
BI 3

Example 2:
BI 4

¿Queréis melón o helado?
[Do you want some melon or ice cream?]

¿Queréis melón, o helado?
[Do you want some melon, or ice cream?]

click to enlarge

click to enlarge

Explanations

These two examples correspond to very similar sentences uttered by the same speaker, but with two different prosodic organizations.
Both contain three prosodic words assembled in three higher prosodic constituents: Queréis, melón and o helado. In both examples, each of these three prosodic constituent ends with a boundary tone.

In the first example, the three prosodic constituents are ips separated by BI 3, assembled in a unique IP, which is marked by a BI 4 at its right edge. The first ip is Queréis, which ends in a H- boundary tone; the second one, melón, ends in a HH- boundary tone; and the last one, o helado, which is IP final, ends in a L%.

In the second example, the prosodic rupture between melón and o helado is much more marked: the two intermediate phrases (ips) Queréis and melón constitute an intonational phrase (IP), and o helado, another one. So melón and o helado are separated by a BI 4.

Let's have a look at the boundary between melón and o helado in both examples.
In the first example, the BI 3 is accompanied by a HH- boundary tone, and pitch reaches a little bit more than 300 Hz. The last syllable of the ip, -lón, has a duration of nearly 180 ms.
In the second example, the BI 4 is accompanied by a HH% boundary tone, and pitch reaches more than 390 Hz, so 90 Hz more than in the first example. The last syllable of the first IP, -lón, has a duration of nearly 300 ms, that is 120 ms more than in the first example. Moreover, it is followed by a pause, what is not the case in the first example.

So, the BI 4 is accompanied by a higher lengthening of the last syllable than BI 3.
This enables a better realization of the boundary tones; that's why the pitch incursion in IP-final boundary tones is greater than in ip-final ones.
And finally, BI 4 are more often accompanied by pauses than BI 3.