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

Level 1

Break indices of level 1 (BI 1) mark boundaries between prosodic words (PrWords). Items separated by BI 1 should carry at most one pitch accent each.

Example

¿La has visto, a Maria?
[Have you seen Mary?]


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In this example, there are three prosodic words: La has, visto, and a María.
The first pitch accent is beared by the auxiliary verb has, the second one is aligned with the stressed syllable vis- of the past participle visto, and the third one is on the stressed syllable -- of María.

These PrWord are separated from one another by break indices at least of level 1. Between visto and a María, the prosodic rupture is higher, but between La has and visto, there is no perceived break. So the boundary between the two first PrWords La has and visto has to be labeled with a BI 1.