Explain the concept of pitch accent and its role in tonal languages.

Phonetics And Phonology Questions



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Explain the concept of pitch accent and its role in tonal languages.

Pitch accent refers to the variation in pitch or tone that occurs on a syllable within a word. It is a feature of tonal languages, where pitch differences can change the meaning of a word. In tonal languages, pitch accent plays a crucial role in distinguishing between words that may have the same phonetic segments but differ in pitch patterns. The pitch accent can be high, low, rising, falling, or any combination of these. It is used to convey lexical or grammatical distinctions, such as indicating word stress, marking different word forms, or distinguishing between homophones. The specific pitch patterns and their meanings vary across different tonal languages. Overall, pitch accent is essential in tonal languages for conveying meaning and maintaining linguistic distinctions.