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Document Details :

Title: Melodic H in Makwe
Author(s): DEVOS, Maud
Journal: Africana Linguistica
Volume: 20    Date: 2014   
Pages: 81-99
DOI: 10.2143/AL.20.0.3062063

Abstract :
Verbs in Makwe do not have lexical tone. Depending on tense, five different melodies can be assigned to the stem. Some tenses do not assign a melodic H tone whereas others assign a single H tone to stem-initial, stem-penult or stem-final position. The remaining tenses assign two H tones: one to stem-initial and the other to stem-final position. Melodic H tones may combine with a H tone in pre-stem position. Tone spreading processes apply to H tones that are not in verb-final position. Verb-final H tones are subject to retraction or shift depending on their position within the phonological phrase.

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