Datapoint Principense/Tone

All four tonal oppositions occur only in certain frames, as for instance in a frame containing the tense marker ka 'future'. In the examples, there are four sound files which illustrate the four possible tone melodies associated with disyllabic nouns, namely HH, HL, LH, LL.
Grammatical tone is used for distinguishing nouns from verbs.

A different analysis of tone was proposed in Günther (1973) and in Traill & Ferraz (1981).

Values

Simple tone system, for lexical and grammatical distinctions

Example 37-203:
máká vs. mákà, ótó vs. òtò, bóbó vs. bòbó, átxì vs. àtxí
máká
litter
vs.
vs.
mákà,
mark
ótó
other
vs.
vs.
òtò,
neck
bóbó
stupid
vs.
vs.
bòbó,
mulatto
átxì
profession
vs.
vs.
àtxí
you
litter vs. mark, other vs. neck, stupid vs. mulatto, profession vs. you (nonclitic)

Source: Maurer 2009: 18-19

Example 37-204:
kɔ́ntá vs. kɔ̀ntà
kɔ́ntá
account
vs.
vs.
kɔ̀ntà
to.count
account, bill vs. to count

Source: Maurer 2009: 26

Example 37-205:
Kobo ka kume.
Kobo
snake
ka
fut
kume.
eat
The snake will eat.

Source: Maurer 2009: 15

Example 37-206:
Pôkô ka kume.
Pôkô
pig
ka
fut
kume.
eat
The pig wil eat.

Source: Maurer 2009: 15

Example 37-207:
Arê ka kume.
Arê
king
ka
fut
kume.
eat
The king will eat.

Source: Maurer 2009: 16

Example 37-208:
Kasô ka kume.
Kasô
dog
ka
fut
kume.
eat
The dog will eat.

Source: Maurer 2009: 16

Example 37-209:
zúdá vs. zùdà
zúdá
help
vs.
vs.
zùdà
to.help
help (N) vs. to help (V)

Source: Maurer 2009: 26

Confidence:
Very certain