We study the relationship between lexical tone and measured values of fundamental frequency for several word classes in isiZulu, based on objective measurements from recordings of three speakers. For nouns and adjectives, both in isolation and in sentence context, a relatively invariant pattern of fundamental frequencies is observed. This observation is in apparent conflict with the range of tonal classes conventionally ascribed to the nouns and adjectives, and suggests the need for further research.
Reference:
Kuun, C, Zimu, V, Barnard, E et al. Statistical investigations into isiZulu intonation. Sixteenth Annual Symposium of the Pattern Recognition Association of South Africa, Langebaan, South Africa, 23-25 November 2005
Kuun, C., Zimu, V., Barnard, E., & Davel, M. (2005). Statistical investigations into isiZulu intonation. PRASA. http://hdl.handle.net/10204/5592
Kuun, C, V Zimu, E Barnard, and M Davel. "Statistical investigations into isiZulu intonation." (2005): http://hdl.handle.net/10204/5592
Kuun C, Zimu V, Barnard E, Davel M, Statistical investigations into isiZulu intonation; PRASA; 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10204/5592 .
