Aspects of Intonation in Cantonese
粤语语调研究
Anothony Fox 霍东尼; Kang-Kwong Luke 陆镜光; Owen Nancarrow 林家乐

Abstract 摘要
This paper addresses the question of whether intonation plays a linguistic role in Cantonese, a language known for its rich inventory of lexical tones and if so, what specific forms it may take and what functions it may serve. Applying a combination of auditory and instrumental analyses to several sets of sound recordings, it was found that it is possible to establish a system of intonation for Cantonese comprising two main components: utterance body intonation and utterance final intonation. The former is best described using gradual declination from a mid-high pitch to a low pitch as a baseline, with possible variation along the parameters of pitch height, range and slope. A higher onset was noticeable in interrogatives as opposed to declaratives, and in utterances with an ‘excited’ tone of voice as opposed to ones said in a ‘quiet’ tone. In addition to the general phenomenon of utterance declination one also finds phrase declination effects which have clear syntactic functions. As far as utterance final intonation is concerned, four patterns are recognised: ‘neutral’, falling, rising, and rising-falling. These help distinguish sentence-types (declarative, interrogative, imperative), and, through variations in pitch height, may convey gradient expressive implications.

本文在前人研究的基础上进一步探讨粤语的语调问题。字调丰富的粤语，其语调和字调的关系为何？当如何描写粤语语调的形式、如何理解粤语语调的功能？我们通过对几组录音的听觉和仪器分析，初步提出一个粤语语调系统。系统分两大部分：句干语调和句末语调。句子音高从较高水平逐渐回落到较低水平（即‘渐降’）可被视为句干语调的‘底线’。在这底线之上又可以根据音域的宽窄和下降的幅度而出现不同的变化。研究发现，与陈述句相比，疑问句句干语调的起点一般明显较高。除句子语调整体渐降之外，同时发现句子内部分句或词组中语调渐降的效果，清楚显示语调具有标示句法结构的功能。在句末语调子系统里可分辨出四种图形：中性、降、升、先升后降，用以标示不同种类的句子（陈述、疑问、祈使）。通过与句干语调的配合，也可表示程度不一的感性意义。

Keywords 关键词

Tone 字调 Intonation 语调 Cantonese 粤语 Syntactic functions 语法功能 Expressive implications 感性意义

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