Theory of Tone

Introduction

Tonal languages are no longer perceived as exotic. According to modern concepts, about 50-60% of the world's languages are tonal. However, the main shortcoming of the majority of research dedicated to tones consists in a narrow panorama of research. It is most often limited either to the description of the tonal system of a certain language or to a particular problem, like the correlation of tone and accent, etc.

Project Goals

The goal of the project is twofold:

1. To prove that any tonal system can be classified into one of the (presumably) four categories.
2. To identify typical trends of change of these systems in a diachronic perspective, which involve movements from one category to another according to rules that have to be identified.

This will be done on the basis of rich language data.

Research Scope

The project covers all major areas of localization of tonal languages. Within a five-year project, it is impossible to explore all the tonal languages of the world. Thus, a balanced sample of 150-200 languages will be carefully studied. This sample takes into account:

• Language family
• Area of distribution
• Other relevant parameters including information on language structure
• Characteristics of the tonal system
• Functions of tone
• Tonal density index

Collaboration and Expertise

This ambitious goal can be achieved through the participation of leading specialists in tonal languages, such as Larry Hyman and other prominent tonologists.

Significance of the Project

The present project is a breakthrough as it will make it possible to discover substantial in-depth correlations between suprasegmental characteristics of a language. Correlations between the suprasegmental system and other parameters, such as genetic affiliation, areal distribution, or morphological structure, will also be explored.

Methodology

The adopting of a terminological system that can be applied to any tonal system of any language will lead the research team to an adequate comparison of tonal systems. Special attention will be paid to intermediate types. The study of languages will combine typological, genetic, and areal approaches.