The Toto orthography, developed beginning in 2014, was created to address the inadequacies of usi... more The Toto orthography, developed beginning in 2014, was created to address the inadequacies of using Bengali and Latin alphabets for writing Toto. These scripts failed to represent certain phonological features, such as front rounded vowels and breathy vowels, posing challenges for accurate writing. The newly designed orthography, reflecting community input, provides a clearer representation of Toto phonology. Establishing this writing system supports cultural identity, promotes literacy, and aids in educational efforts. Despite standardization, several challenges remain, such as transcribing elision, standardizing word breaks, long vowels, etc. Compared to previous transcriptional strategies, the orthography offers broader benefits for language documentation and revitalization.
Linguists often refer to tonal languages as belonging to ‘types’ ─ African, East Asian, etc. This... more Linguists often refer to tonal languages as belonging to ‘types’ ─ African, East Asian, etc. This paper documents the tonal system of the Mianchi dialect of Southern Qiang, a Tibeto-Burman language located squarely in the East Asian tone environment. Although tone has developed in Southern Qiang under heavy influence from Chinese, the tone system found in Mianchi fits an ‘African’ typology much better than it does a ‘Chinese’ or ‘East Asian’ type. The degrees of African-ness and Chinese-ness are evaluated, and African-style features are shown to be lurking throughout the Qiangic family. Similarities of word structure and word length between African and Qiangic languages are held responsible for the similarities.
The present study is a phonological analysis of the segments and tones of the Tawrã language (ISO... more The present study is a phonological analysis of the segments and tones of the Tawrã language (ISO 69-3: mhu; Glottolog: Diga1241), a Sino-Tibetan language spoken in Arunachal Pradesh, India, and in Tibet, China. This paper, the first collaboration between a Tawrã-speaking non-linguist and a non-Tawrã-speaking linguist, attempts to clear up some confusion in the existing literature. For example, previous studies did not note that stop codas /-p,-k/ are in free variation with glides [-w,-j, ɰ], and that the morpheme, rather than the syllable, is the tone-bearing unit. Acoustic analyses provide justification for the phonemic representation of the vowels and the tones. Finally, the paper is designed to introduce Tawrã speakers to the recently standardized (2020) orthography, and to show how the letters and letter combinations function together as a system.
The present study is a phonological analysis of the segments and tones of the Tawrã language (ISO... more The present study is a phonological analysis of the segments and tones of the Tawrã language (ISO 69-3: mhu; Glottolog: Diga1241), a Sino-Tibetan language spoken in Arunachal Pradesh, India, and in Tibet, China. This paper, the first collaboration between a Tawrã-speaking non-linguist and a non-Tawrã-speaking linguist, attempts to clear up some confusion in the existing literature. For example, previous studies did not note that stop codas /-p,-k/ are in free variation with glides [-w,-j, ɰ], and that the morpheme, rather than the syllable, is the tone-bearing unit. Acoustic analyses provide justification for the phonemic representation of the vowels and the tones. Finally, the paper is designed to introduce Tawrã speakers to the recently standardized (2020) orthography, and to show how the letters and letter combinations function together as a system.
Languages with sortal classifiers (clf) are distributed across the world, with a large concentrat... more Languages with sortal classifiers (clf) are distributed across the world, with a large concentration in East and South (east) Asia. Across the world's classifier languages, few are attested which order classifiers before numerals in counted noun phrases (clf num). The Sino-Tibetan language family includes languages without sortal classifiers, languages with the more typical num clf order, as well as languages with clf num order. The latter group of languages are concentrated in Northeast India and neighboring regions. The Sino-Tibetan languages with clf num order do not fit under one genealogical node. The present hypothesis is that the classifiers arose through repetition of the counted noun, following which the order spread via contact. The clf num order appears to have arisen at least as early as the time of Proto-Bodo-Garo. However, we do not yet find cognate classifiers at a time depth beyond Proto-Bodo-Garo. A remaining mystery is why such a cross-linguistically rare morpheme order spread so easily within the Northeast India linguistic area.
Recent research has found a relationship between heart rate variability (HRV) and cognitive contr... more Recent research has found a relationship between heart rate variability (HRV) and cognitive control mechanisms underlying various experimental tasks. This study explored the interaction between gender and resting-state HRV in brain oscillatory activity during visual recognition of linguistic ambiguity while taking state and trait anxiety scores into account. It is well known that stress or anxiety increases arousal levels, particularly under uncertainty situations. We tasked 50 young Mandarin speakers (26 women; average age 26.00 ± 4.449) with the recognition of linguistic ambiguity in English (foreign) sentences with the purpose of imposing a sense of uncertainty in decision-making. Our results revealed a dependency between resting-state HRV and theta/alpha power in individual women. Low HRV women showed stronger theta/alpha desynchronization compared with their high HRV counterparts, independent of topographic localization. However, low and high HRV men exhibited comparable theta/...
Journal of the International Phonetic Association, 2016
This study explores the phenomenon of uvularization in the vowel systems of two Heishui County va... more This study explores the phenomenon of uvularization in the vowel systems of two Heishui County varieties of Qiang, a Sino-Tibetan language of Sichuan Province, China. Ultrasound imaging (one speaker) shows that uvularized vowels have two tongue gestures: a rearward gesture, followed by movement toward the place of articulation of the corresponding plain vowel. Time-aligned acoustic and articulatory data show how movement toward the uvula correlates with changes in the acoustic signal. Acoustic correlates of uvularization (taken from two speakers) are seen most consistently in raising of vowel F1, lowering of F2 and in raising of the difference F3-F2. Imaging data and the formant structure of [l] show that uvular approximation can begin during the initial consonant that precedes a uvularized vowel. Uvularization is reflected phonologically in the phonotactic properties of vowels, while vowel harmony aids in the identification of plain–uvularized vowel pairs. The data reported in this...
The present study introduces the use of Linear Mixed Effects (LME) analysis to model f0 productio... more The present study introduces the use of Linear Mixed Effects (LME) analysis to model f0 production in a language with two phonemic tones, and demonstrates the advantages of using such a method of analysis. LME can be used to weigh the impact of a large number of effects, it can demonstrate the interaction among those effects, and can also show how both fixed and random effects contribute to the model. Unlike previous analytical methods for modeling f0 in tone languages, LME analysis allows researchers to have more freedom in designing experiments, and to have sufficient variety in the dataset without having to rely on nonsense words and phrases to fill out a data matrix. LME makes it is possible to put a multitude of effects and interactions into a single comprehensive model of f0. The ensuing model is easy to interpret and straightforward to compare crosslinguistically. LME analysis makes possible a quantitative typology that shows clearly how linguistic and nonlinguistic factors combine in the production of f0 for each language thus analyzed.
The Toto orthography, developed beginning in 2014, was created to address the inadequacies of usi... more The Toto orthography, developed beginning in 2014, was created to address the inadequacies of using Bengali and Latin alphabets for writing Toto. These scripts failed to represent certain phonological features, such as front rounded vowels and breathy vowels, posing challenges for accurate writing. The newly designed orthography, reflecting community input, provides a clearer representation of Toto phonology. Establishing this writing system supports cultural identity, promotes literacy, and aids in educational efforts. Despite standardization, several challenges remain, such as transcribing elision, standardizing word breaks, long vowels, etc. Compared to previous transcriptional strategies, the orthography offers broader benefits for language documentation and revitalization.
Linguists often refer to tonal languages as belonging to ‘types’ ─ African, East Asian, etc. This... more Linguists often refer to tonal languages as belonging to ‘types’ ─ African, East Asian, etc. This paper documents the tonal system of the Mianchi dialect of Southern Qiang, a Tibeto-Burman language located squarely in the East Asian tone environment. Although tone has developed in Southern Qiang under heavy influence from Chinese, the tone system found in Mianchi fits an ‘African’ typology much better than it does a ‘Chinese’ or ‘East Asian’ type. The degrees of African-ness and Chinese-ness are evaluated, and African-style features are shown to be lurking throughout the Qiangic family. Similarities of word structure and word length between African and Qiangic languages are held responsible for the similarities.
The present study is a phonological analysis of the segments and tones of the Tawrã language (ISO... more The present study is a phonological analysis of the segments and tones of the Tawrã language (ISO 69-3: mhu; Glottolog: Diga1241), a Sino-Tibetan language spoken in Arunachal Pradesh, India, and in Tibet, China. This paper, the first collaboration between a Tawrã-speaking non-linguist and a non-Tawrã-speaking linguist, attempts to clear up some confusion in the existing literature. For example, previous studies did not note that stop codas /-p,-k/ are in free variation with glides [-w,-j, ɰ], and that the morpheme, rather than the syllable, is the tone-bearing unit. Acoustic analyses provide justification for the phonemic representation of the vowels and the tones. Finally, the paper is designed to introduce Tawrã speakers to the recently standardized (2020) orthography, and to show how the letters and letter combinations function together as a system.
The present study is a phonological analysis of the segments and tones of the Tawrã language (ISO... more The present study is a phonological analysis of the segments and tones of the Tawrã language (ISO 69-3: mhu; Glottolog: Diga1241), a Sino-Tibetan language spoken in Arunachal Pradesh, India, and in Tibet, China. This paper, the first collaboration between a Tawrã-speaking non-linguist and a non-Tawrã-speaking linguist, attempts to clear up some confusion in the existing literature. For example, previous studies did not note that stop codas /-p,-k/ are in free variation with glides [-w,-j, ɰ], and that the morpheme, rather than the syllable, is the tone-bearing unit. Acoustic analyses provide justification for the phonemic representation of the vowels and the tones. Finally, the paper is designed to introduce Tawrã speakers to the recently standardized (2020) orthography, and to show how the letters and letter combinations function together as a system.
Languages with sortal classifiers (clf) are distributed across the world, with a large concentrat... more Languages with sortal classifiers (clf) are distributed across the world, with a large concentration in East and South (east) Asia. Across the world's classifier languages, few are attested which order classifiers before numerals in counted noun phrases (clf num). The Sino-Tibetan language family includes languages without sortal classifiers, languages with the more typical num clf order, as well as languages with clf num order. The latter group of languages are concentrated in Northeast India and neighboring regions. The Sino-Tibetan languages with clf num order do not fit under one genealogical node. The present hypothesis is that the classifiers arose through repetition of the counted noun, following which the order spread via contact. The clf num order appears to have arisen at least as early as the time of Proto-Bodo-Garo. However, we do not yet find cognate classifiers at a time depth beyond Proto-Bodo-Garo. A remaining mystery is why such a cross-linguistically rare morpheme order spread so easily within the Northeast India linguistic area.
Recent research has found a relationship between heart rate variability (HRV) and cognitive contr... more Recent research has found a relationship between heart rate variability (HRV) and cognitive control mechanisms underlying various experimental tasks. This study explored the interaction between gender and resting-state HRV in brain oscillatory activity during visual recognition of linguistic ambiguity while taking state and trait anxiety scores into account. It is well known that stress or anxiety increases arousal levels, particularly under uncertainty situations. We tasked 50 young Mandarin speakers (26 women; average age 26.00 ± 4.449) with the recognition of linguistic ambiguity in English (foreign) sentences with the purpose of imposing a sense of uncertainty in decision-making. Our results revealed a dependency between resting-state HRV and theta/alpha power in individual women. Low HRV women showed stronger theta/alpha desynchronization compared with their high HRV counterparts, independent of topographic localization. However, low and high HRV men exhibited comparable theta/...
Journal of the International Phonetic Association, 2016
This study explores the phenomenon of uvularization in the vowel systems of two Heishui County va... more This study explores the phenomenon of uvularization in the vowel systems of two Heishui County varieties of Qiang, a Sino-Tibetan language of Sichuan Province, China. Ultrasound imaging (one speaker) shows that uvularized vowels have two tongue gestures: a rearward gesture, followed by movement toward the place of articulation of the corresponding plain vowel. Time-aligned acoustic and articulatory data show how movement toward the uvula correlates with changes in the acoustic signal. Acoustic correlates of uvularization (taken from two speakers) are seen most consistently in raising of vowel F1, lowering of F2 and in raising of the difference F3-F2. Imaging data and the formant structure of [l] show that uvular approximation can begin during the initial consonant that precedes a uvularized vowel. Uvularization is reflected phonologically in the phonotactic properties of vowels, while vowel harmony aids in the identification of plain–uvularized vowel pairs. The data reported in this...
The present study introduces the use of Linear Mixed Effects (LME) analysis to model f0 productio... more The present study introduces the use of Linear Mixed Effects (LME) analysis to model f0 production in a language with two phonemic tones, and demonstrates the advantages of using such a method of analysis. LME can be used to weigh the impact of a large number of effects, it can demonstrate the interaction among those effects, and can also show how both fixed and random effects contribute to the model. Unlike previous analytical methods for modeling f0 in tone languages, LME analysis allows researchers to have more freedom in designing experiments, and to have sufficient variety in the dataset without having to rely on nonsense words and phrases to fill out a data matrix. LME makes it is possible to put a multitude of effects and interactions into a single comprehensive model of f0. The ensuing model is easy to interpret and straightforward to compare crosslinguistically. LME analysis makes possible a quantitative typology that shows clearly how linguistic and nonlinguistic factors combine in the production of f0 for each language thus analyzed.
This book is a grammatical overview of the Dimasa language (known autonymically as Grao Dima/IPA ... more This book is a grammatical overview of the Dimasa language (known autonymically as Grao Dima/IPA ɡɾawdima/; ISO 639-3), which is Tibeto-Burman (Trans-Himalayan) language spoken mainly in Assam State, India. Dimasa is in the Bodo-Garo sub-branch of Tibeto- Burman. Dimasa is spoken by about 110,000 speakers, most of whom are bilingual or trilingual in Bengali, English, and/or Assamese. Linguistic analysis is based upon the speech of Haflong, which is the town with the largest Dimasa-speaking population. Similar to other Bodo-Garo langauges, Dimasa has seventeen consonants, with a two-way voicing contrast, and five vowels. Underlying word-initial consonant clusters can surface with an emergent vowel, yielding a sesquisyllabic structure. The variety of Dimasa spoken in Haflong does not yield convincing evidence for the existence of tones, although they have been noted in other descriptions of the language (Chapter 2). Chapter 3 describes the structure of nouns and noun phrases, including nominalizations. Noun phrases can be defined as those units that can be cliticized with a case marker. Like other Bodo-Garo languages, as well as those of the larger Sal group, counted nouns are formed by the sequence N CLF-NUM, an ordering that is rare among languages outside of this area. Dimasa verbs (Chapter 4) are highly agglutinating, with thirteen post-verb root suffix slots, up to three of which may be occupied in any given instance. Types of suffix include aspect-tense markers, directional and translocative markers, and fossilized serial verbs. Chapter 5 describes various aspects of discourse, such as topic marking and mirativity. The second part of the book contains twenty-one samples of natural language across a variety of genres, and includes samples of both oral and written language. Each text is introduced with an overview of the linguistic and cultural features displayed therein.
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