Datapoint Pichi/Tone

Pichi features a mixed suprasegmental system in which individual words may be classified as pitch-accented (one high tone per root) or tonal (several high or low tones per root). The tonal component of the lexicon is considerably smaller (approx. 5%) than the pitch-accented one (approx. 95%).

Values

Simple tone system, for lexical and grammatical distinctions

Example 19-227:
dì vs. di
dì
def.art
vs.
vs.
di
this.dem
the vs. this
Example 19-228:
dé vs. dè
dé
loc.exist.cop
vs.
vs.
dè
ipfv
locative-existential copula vs. imperfective marker
Example 19-229:
sò vs. só
sò
so
vs.
vs.
só
sew
so vs. sew
Example 19-230:
tif; man; tìfman
tif;
steal
man;
man
tìf-man
steal.cpd-man
steal; man; thief
Example 19-231:
mi vs. mì; yu vs. yù; in vs. ìn; wi vs. wì; dɛn vs. dɛ̀n
mi
1sg.emph
vs.
vs.
mì;
1sg.poss
yu
2sg.emph
vs.
vs.
yù;
2sg
in
3sg.emph
vs.
vs.
ìn;
3sg.poss
wi
1pl.emph
vs.
vs.
wì;
1pl.poss
dɛn
3pl.emph
vs.
vs.
dɛ̀n
3pl
1SG.EMPH vs. 1SG.POSS; 2SG.EMPH vs. 2SG; 3SG.EMPH vs. 3SG.POSS; 1PL.EMPH vs. 1PL.POSS; 3PL.EMPH vs. 3PL
Example 19-232:
fíba, wɔ̀tá, nyɔní, bàtà
[HL],
fever
[LH],
water
[HH],
ant
[LL]
buttock(s)
fever, water, ant, buttock(s)
Confidence:
Very certain