Neutral Intonation Contour in Guinea-Bissau Portuguese

Abstract

This research project aims: (i) to describe and analyse the intonational phrasing contour on neutral declarative sentences in Guinea-Bissau Portuguese (GBP), specifically with regard to the investigation of the relationship between tonal events assignment to the intonational contour and prosodic domains formation; and (ii) the comparison of results found in GBP data analysis and intonational phrasing results described in Brazilian Portuguese (BP) on previous works.To achieve the objectives set up, this project provides: (a) the adaptation and recording, helped by GBP native speakers, of corpora contained in RLD (Romance Languages Database) proposed by the international project Intonational Phrasing in Romance (cf. http://www.fl.ul.pt/LaboratorioFonetica/IntPhraRo.htm), which aims the comparative study on the intonational constituents of Romance languages; and (b) the description and analysis on the intonational phrasing of sentences obtained, based on the theoretical frameworks of Intonational Phonology (Pierrehumbert 1980; Beckman & Pierrehumbert 1986, 1988; Ladd 1996, 2008; Jun 2005; among others) and Prosodic Phonology (Selkirk 1984, 1986, 2000; Nespor & Vogel 1986; among others) and also based on previous works developed in those theoretical frameworks and applied to Portuguese (Cunha 2000; Frota & Vigário 2000; Tenani 2002; Fernandes 2007a, b; Serra 2009; Vigário 1998; Grønnum & Viana 1999; Frota 1991, 1997, 2000, 2002a, b, 2003; among others).In developing the investigation we expect: (i) to ratify or refute the assertion claimed by Couto & Embaló (2010) that GBP is different rhythmically from BP, by means of intonational investigation and either differences or similarities settlement between the two varieties of Portuguese about this prosodic aspect of rhythm implementation; (ii) to contribute on phonology to the GBP grammar still barely studied; and (iii) to enhance the understanding of intonation functioning in natural languages by means of intonational data analysis from a language not yet covered, as far as we know, by studies of Intonational Phonology.Furthermore, we consider the results to be obtained may: (a) contribute to the formation of the RLD database, as well as to the Interactive Atlas of the Prosody of Portuguese (PTDC/CLE-LIN/119787/2010 - cf. http://www.fl.ul.pt/LaboratorioFonetica/InAPoP/); and (b) also provide the studies wich aims are to investigate influences of African languages on Brazilian Portuguese grammar constituency by means of comparing the intonational structure in BP and an African Portuguese variety.