L + H* and H* pitch accents in Mandarin Chinese

Abstract

In this study, we examine acoustic correlates of L + H* and H* pitch accents in Mandarin Chinese. In English, L + H* denotes “exclusiveness” and H* conveys “new” information. For example, L + H* A. Katie did not pet the cat, (Kellie did). H* B. Katie did not pet the cat (she pet the dog). Ten Mandarin speakers were asked to produce the English equivalent L + H* and H* pitch accents in Mandarin as in C and D: L + H* C. 咪妮 没有 摸 猫， 妞蒙 摸 了 猫 MiNi meiyou mo mao, NiuMeng mo le mao. MiNi did not pet the cat, it is NiuMeng who petted the cat. H* D. 咪妮 没有 摸 猫，咪妮也 没有 摸 狗 MiNi meiyou mo mao, MiNi ye meiyou mo gou. MiNi did not pet the cat, and she did not pet the dog either. MiNi and NiuMeng were produced with all combinations of four Mandarin tones. Preliminary findings from one speaker suggest an interaction between tones and pitch accents such that pitch contour and pitch height of both types of pitch accents vary as a function of tones.