Predictable tone in Bena

Abstract

Verbal tone in Bena is characterized by a single High tone per word. Roots are toneless, and inflected forms are assigned one of four tone melodies : Pre‑Stem Initial (PSI), Macrostem Initial (MSI), Antepenultimate (APU), and Penultimate (PU). The location of H in an inflected form is entirely predictable through a combination of morphophonological criteria, including the morphological complexity of the verbal base, the tense and aspect of the verb, the form of the final suffix, and whether the verb is affirmative or negative.