Pitch accent (intonation)

Pitch accent, also known as intonation, refers to the use of changes in pitch to convey meaning in spoken language. It differs from tonal languages, where pitch distinguishes individual words. Instead, pitch accent marks prominence or distinguishes grammatical structures within a sentence or phrase.

In languages with pitch accent, certain syllables within a word or phrase are pronounced with a higher or lower pitch relative to other syllables. This variation in pitch is not random; it is systematically used to signal information. The specific pitch patterns can indicate focus, emphasis, question versus statement, emotional state, and grammatical boundaries.

Unlike stress-accented languages, where loudness or duration primarily mark emphasis, pitch accent relies on pitch changes. It is also distinct from tonal languages, such as Mandarin Chinese, where different tones on a syllable create entirely different words.

The functions of pitch accent are varied and can include:

• Focus: Highlighting important information in a sentence. The syllable or word carrying the pitch accent often signals the most salient part of the message.
• Question Formation: Raising the pitch at the end of a statement can transform it into a question in many languages.
• Emotional Expression: Different pitch contours can convey emotions like surprise, skepticism, or enthusiasm.
• Grammatical Structure: Pitch accents can help to delineate phrases and clauses, marking the relationships between different parts of a sentence.
• Lexical Distinction: In some cases, minimal pairs of words can be distinguished solely by differences in pitch accent, even if the phonetic segments are identical.

Languages vary significantly in how they utilize pitch accent. Some languages, like Japanese, have lexical pitch accent, meaning that the pitch pattern is a part of the word's lexical representation. Others, like English, primarily use pitch accent for pragmatic and discourse functions.

The study of pitch accent falls under the domain of phonetics and phonology, specifically intonational phonology. Researchers use acoustic analysis and perceptual experiments to understand how pitch accent is produced and perceived, and how it contributes to linguistic meaning.