JP1000 Introductory Lecture 05

PHONOLOGY: SUPRASEGMENTAL

ACCENTUATION:

       JAPANESE				ENGLISH

pitch (or plateau) accent           stress (or peak) accent
pitch levels (low, high)            stress (primary, secondary, tertiary)
syllable-timed                      vowel lengthening, ...
no extra-prominence given           main stress given to one syllable
to any syllable

(e.g.)   bànana                         banâna
         tòmato                         tomâto
         karèndaa                       câlendar
         piano                   	piâno

ACCENT TYPES: number of syllables {n}  + 1

n = 1     Ò x        or    O x
n = 2     Ò O x      or    O Ò x      or    O O x
n = 3     Ò O O x    or    O Ò O x    or    O O Ò x    or    O O O x
   .
   .
   .                                                 (x = particle, ...)

The accent mark [ ` ] is placed on the last high syllable which is followed by low
ones.

(e.g.)    o soroshi i = osoroshìi            ha jimema shite = hajimemàshite
	  L  H H  H L			      L  H H H   L L
(exercise)
   
ka ga                ùmi ga               konà ga              hoshi ga              

sòra ga              tsuchì ga            kodomo ga            hànabi ga            

kudàmono ga          gakkoo ga   	  bùnshoo ga           koojòo ga            

omoi                 kowài                kawaìi               arùku                

tomaru               kàeru                tsukarèru            shirabèru             

kèredo               shibàraku            konogoro             taitee                

hakkìri              massùgu              sappàri              don'yòri             

yooyaku              nakanaka		  omoshiròi	       Kyòoto

Àni wa  hòn o yondeimasu.      Inù to nèko ga sànbiki imasu.

FUNCTIONS OF ACCENT:

a) differentiate homonyms:  	kàku 'write'  / kaku 'lack'

                                kàta 'shoulder'/ katà 'pattern'

b) indicate word/phrase boundary:

                                shàkai   +     mondai    ----> shakaimòndai
                                society'     'problem'        'social problem'


INTONATION: to be expanded later

Sòo desu ka./		Sòo desu ka.\/		Sòo desu ka.\
'Is that so?'           'Are you sure?'		'Oh, I see.'

Ohayoo gozaimaasu.~	Konnichi waa.~		Kanpaai.~

Hints & Suggestions