The Effects of Intonation on the Sentence-Final Particle nyei in Iu-Mien

Abstract

This study focuses on the interaction between tone and intonation on the prosodic realization of the sentence-final particle nyei³³ in Iu-Mien, a Hmong-Mien language spoken in parts of China and Southeast Asia. While intonation patterns of questions in colloquial Iu-Mien, in which sentence-final particle nyei³³ does not typically occur, have been described, intonation patterns with the sentence-final nyei³³ used in less colloquial settings have not been analyzed yet. Our study aims to fill this gap. Using data from five female speakers, we show that the mid-level tone 33 of nyei³³ is preserved when in the final position of statements, but surfaces as a rising or falling contour at the end of yes-no questions. In addition, we find coarticulatory effects of the preceding tone on the F0 contour of the particle.