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Article
Focus Placement on Adjacent Words in Yes/No Questions
International Congress of Phonetic Sciences (2015)
  • Jonathan Howell, Montclair State University
Abstract
Semantic theory predicts four different focus configurations for a pair of adjacent words: early, late, broad and double focus. We report on a production study which confirms that speakers make a significant, though non-obligatory, distinction between the four categories. The distinction is observed in yes/no question and so cannot be associated with a specific intonational tune. The results also fail to support theories of focus projection and uniquely syntagmatic models of prominence.
Keywords
  • focus,
  • prosody,
  • prominence,
  • double focus
Publication Date
2015
Citation Information
Jonathan Howell. "Focus Placement on Adjacent Words in Yes/No Questions" International Congress of Phonetic Sciences (2015)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/jonathan-howell/5/