Prosody of declaratives and questions in Rere (Koalib)

Abstract

AbstractThe prosodic system of declarative sentences and questions in Rere (Koalib), a Niger-Congo language of Sudan, is characterized by pitch raising and lowering, which target boundary positions and particular tones. Declarative utterances are marked by a final L% boundary tone. This has different effects depending on the size of the utterance and the final tone type, lowering a final sequence of high tones and causing a pitch fall on the final syllable. Polar questions are marked by a final low-toned clitic. The low-tone of the clitic blocks H tone lowering found in corresponding declaratives, and a H% raises the rightmost H tone of the question if one is present. Upsweep affects a series of high tones, and pitch raising also marks the boundary between the verb and a post-verbal subject. Finally, a high tone added at the left edge of the verb marks wh-ex-situ questions as well as similar constructions.