Phonology or not phonology? That is the question (in intonation)

Abstract

The paper would like to challenge the basic tenet of Autosegmental Theory of Intonation, i.e. that in non-tonal languages it is possible to deal with intonation in phonological terms. Therefore, the traditional criteria normally adopted in phonological tradition (discreteness and distinctiveness) are tested. The empirical evidence employed is taken from some Italian varieties. On the ground of the acoustic analysis, a crucial role is given to the new parameter of scaling in Pitch Accents. The phonology of intonation is thus to be found not at the level of grammar, but rather at the sociolinguistic level, as pitch is a socio-phonetic marker for the discrimination among the different varieties of a language.The paper would like to challenge the basic tenet of Autosegmental Theory of Intonation, i.e. that in non-tonal languages it is possible to deal with intonation in phonological terms. Therefore, the traditional criteria normally adopted in phonological tradition (discreteness and distinctiveness) are tested. The empirical evidence employed is taken from some Italian varieties. On the ground of the acoustic analysis, a crucial role is given to the new parameter of scaling in Pitch Accents. The phonology of intonation is thus to be found not at the level of grammar, but rather at the sociolinguistic level, as pitch is a socio-phonetic marker for the discrimination among the different varieties of a language.Este artículo quisiera poner en discusión el principio básico de la Teoría Autosegmental de la Entonación, es decir si en las lenguas no-tonales se puede tratar la entonación en términos fonológicos. Por lo tanto, se ponen a prueba los criterios tradicionales que se suelen adoptar en la tradición fonológica (ser discreto y distintivo). Las pruebas empíricas utilizadas son tomadas de unas variedades del italiano. Sobre la base del análisis acústico, se atribuye un papel decisivo al nuevo parámetro de escalamiento en los acentos tonales. Por lo tanto la fonología de la entonación no se encuentra en el nivel de gramática, sino en el nivel sociolingüístico, ya que el tono es un indicador sociofonético de la discriminación entre las diferentes variedades de una lengua