1887
  1. Home
  2. e-Journals
  3. International Journal of Chinese Linguistics
  4. Volume 6, Issue 1
  5. Article
Volume 6, Issue 1
  • ISSN 2213-8706
  • E-ISSN: 2213-8714
USD
Buy:$35.00 + Taxes

Abstract

Abstract

Mandarin -words such as are -indeterminates, which can have interrogative interpretations (‘what’) or non-interrogative interpretations (i.e., ‘something’), depending on the context and licensors. For example, when (‘a little’) appears right in front of a -word, the string can have either a -question or a declarative interpretation (henceforth, -declarative). Yang (2018) carried out a production study and the results showed that -questions and -declaratives have different prosodic properties. To investigate whether and when listeners make use of prosody to anticipate the clause type (i.e., question vs. declarative), we conducted a sentence perception study and an audio-gating experiment. Results of the perception study and the gating experiment show that (1) Participants can make use of prosody to differentiate the two clause types; (2) Starting from the onset of the first word of the target sentence (-question/-declarative), participants already demonstrate a preference for the clause type that was intended by the speaker. The current study also sheds light on the clausal typing mechanism in Mandarin (e.g., how to mark a clause as a -question) by providing evidence of the role of prosody in marking clause types in Mandarin.

© John Benjamins Publishing Company
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/ijchl.18004.yan
2019-07-02
2024-12-12

  • From This Site

    /content/journals/10.1075/ijchl.18004.yan
    dcterms_title,dcterms_subject,pub_keyword
    -contentType:Journal -contentType:Contributor -contentType:Concept -contentType:Institution
    10
    5
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Altmann, G. T., & Kamide, Y.
    (1999) Incremental interpretation at verbs: Restricting the domain of subsequent reference. Cognition, 73(3), 247–264. 10.1016/S0010‑0277(99)00059‑1
     https://doi.org/10.1016/S0010-0277(99)00059-1 [Google Scholar]
  2. Bates, D., Maechler, M., Bolker, B., & Walker, S.
    (2015) lme4: Linear mixed-effects models using Eigen and S4. R package version1.1–7 2014.
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Beach, C. M.
    (1991) The interpretation of prosodic patterns at points of syntactic structure ambiguity: Evidence for cue trading relations. Journal of Memory and Language. 30, 644–663. 10.1016/0749‑596X(91)90030‑N
     https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-596X(91)90030-N [Google Scholar]
  4. Beach, C. M., Katz, W. F., & Skowronski, A.
    (1996) Children’s processing of prosodic cues for phrasal interpretation. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 99(2), 1148–1160. 10.1121/1.414599
     https://doi.org/10.1121/1.414599 [Google Scholar]
  5. Boersma, P. & Weenink, D.
    (2016) Praat: doing phonetics computer [Computer program]. Version 6.0.19, retrieved13 June 2016fromwww.praat.org/
  6. Bolinger, D.
    (1978) Intonation across languages. Universals of Human Language, 2, 471–524.
     [Google Scholar]
  7. Bolker, B. M., Brooks, M. E., Clark, C. J., Geange, S. W., Poulsen, J. R., Stevens, M. H. H., & White, J. S. S.
    (2009) Generalized linear mixed models: a practical guide for ecology and evolution. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 24(3), 127–135. 10.1016/j.tree.2008.10.008
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2008.10.008 [Google Scholar]
  8. Braun, B., & Chen, A.
    (2012) Now for something completely different: Anticipatory effects of intonation. InO. Niebuhr (Ed.), Understanding Prosody: The Role of Context, Function and Communication (pp.289–311). Berlin: de Gruyter. 10.1515/9783110301465.289
     https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110301465.289 [Google Scholar]
  9. Carlson, K., Clifton Jr., C., & Frazier, L.
    (2001) Prosodic boundaries in adjunct attachment. Journal of Memory and Language, 45(1), 58–81. 10.1006/jmla.2000.2762
     https://doi.org/10.1006/jmla.2000.2762 [Google Scholar]
  10. Chen, A., den Os, E., & de Ruiter, J. P.
    (2007): Pitch accent type matters for online processing of information status: Evidence from natural and synthetic speech. The Linguistic Review, 24 (2–3), 317–344.
     [Google Scholar]
  11. Chen, M. Y.
    (2000) Tone sandhi: Patterns across Chinese dialects (Vol.92). Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/CBO9780511486364
     https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511486364 [Google Scholar]
  12. Cheng, L. L.-S.
    (1991) On the Typology of WH-Questions, PhD dissertation, MIT.
  13. Cheng, L. L.-S., & Rooryck, J.
    (2000) Licensing wh-in-situ. Syntax, 3(1), 1–19. 10.1111/1467‑9612.00022
     https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9612.00022 [Google Scholar]
  14. Chomsky, N., & Lasnik, H.
    (1977) Filters and control. Linguistic Inquiry, 8(3), 425–504.
     [Google Scholar]
  15. Constant, N.
    (2014) Contrastive Topic: Meanings and Realizations. PhD dissertation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
  16. Dahan, D., Tanenhaus, M. K., & Chambers, C. G.
    (2002): Accent and reference resolution in spoken-language comprehension. Journal of Memory and Language. 47, 292–314. 10.1016/S0749‑596X(02)00001‑3
     https://doi.org/10.1016/S0749-596X(02)00001-3 [Google Scholar]
  17. Dong, H.
    (2009) Issues in the Semantics of Mandarin Questions. PhD dissertation, Cornell University.
  18. Duanmu, S.
    (2004) Tone and non-tone languages: An alternative to language typology and parameters. Language and Linguistics, 5(4), 891–923.
     [Google Scholar]
  19. Face, T. L.
    (2004) The intonation of absolute interrogatives in Castilian Spanish. Southwest Journal of Linguistics, 23(2), 65–80.
     [Google Scholar]
  20. Feng, S.
    (2015) Tone, intonation and sentence final particles in Chinese. Essays on Linguistics, 51, 52–79.
     [Google Scholar]
  21. Gérard, C., & Clément, J.
    (1998) The structure and development of French prosodic representations. Language and Speech, 41(2), 117–142. 10.1177/002383099804100201
     https://doi.org/10.1177/002383099804100201 [Google Scholar]
  22. Grosjean, F.
    (1980) Spoken word recognition processes and the gating paradigm. Perception & Psychophysics, 28(4), 267–283. 10.3758/BF03204386
     https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03204386 [Google Scholar]
  23. (1983) How long is the sentence? Prediction and prosody in the on-line processing of language. Linguistics, 21, 501–529. 10.1515/ling.1983.21.3.501
     https://doi.org/10.1515/ling.1983.21.3.501 [Google Scholar]
  24. Gryllia, S., Doetjes, J., Yang, Y., & Cheng, L. L.-S.
    (2019) Prosody, clause typing and wh-in-situ Evidence from Mandarin. Manuscript submitted for publication. Leiden University.
  25. Hermann, E.
    (1942) Probleme der Frage. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.
     [Google Scholar]
  26. Huang, C. T. J.
    (1982) Move wh in a language without wh-movement. Linguistic Review. 1(4). 369–416. 10.1515/tlir.1982.1.4.369
     https://doi.org/10.1515/tlir.1982.1.4.369 [Google Scholar]
  27. Kjelgaard, M. M., & Speer, S. R.
    (1999) Prosodic facilitation and interference in the resolution of temporary syntactic closure ambiguity. Journal of Memory and Language, 40(2), 153–194. 10.1006/jmla.1998.2620
     https://doi.org/10.1006/jmla.1998.2620 [Google Scholar]
  28. Kuznetsova, A., Brockhoff, P. B., & Christensen, R. H. B.
    (2013) lmerTest: Tests for Random and Fixed Effects for Linear Mixed Effect Models (Lmer Objects of lme4 Package). R Package Version 2.0–3 [Computer Software].
     [Google Scholar]
  29. Li, A.
    (2002) Chinese prosody and prosodic labeling of spontaneous speech. InProceedings of Speech Prosody 2001.
     [Google Scholar]
  30. Li, B.
    (2006) Chinese Final Particles and the Syntax of the Periphery. PhD dissertation, Leiden University.
  31. Li, Y. H. A.
    (1992) Indefinite wh in Mandarin Chinese. Journal of East Asian Linguistics, 1(2), 125–155. 10.1007/BF00130234
     https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00130234 [Google Scholar]
  32. Lin, J. W.
    (1998) On Existential Polarity-WH-Phrases in Chinese. Journal of East Asian Linguistics, 7(3), 219–255. 10.1023/A:1008284513325
     https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008284513325 [Google Scholar]
  33. Lindsey, G. A.
    (1985) Intonation and Interrogation: Tonal Structure and the Expression of a Pragmatic Function in English and other Languages. PhD dissertation, UMI.
  34. Liu, X., Li, A., & Jia, Y.
    (2016) How does prosody distinguish wh-statement from wh- question? A case study of standard Chinese. Proceedings of Speech Prosody 2016, 1076–1080. 10.21437/SpeechProsody.2016‑221
     https://doi.org/10.21437/SpeechProsody.2016-221 [Google Scholar]
  35. Ohala, J. J.
    (1983) Cross-language use of pitch: an ethological view. Phonetica, 40 (1), 1–18. 10.1159/000261678
     https://doi.org/10.1159/000261678 [Google Scholar]
  36. (1984) An ethological perspective on common cross-Language utilization of F0 of Voice. Phonetica, 41(1), 1–16. 10.1159/000261706
     https://doi.org/10.1159/000261706 [Google Scholar]
  37. Petrone, C., & D’Imperio, M.
    (2011) From tones to tunes: Effects of the F0 prenuclear region in the perception of Neapolitan statements and questions. InProsodic Categories: Production, Perception and Comprehension (pp.207–230). Springer, Dordrecht. 10.1007/978‑94‑007‑0137‑3_9
     https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0137-3_9 [Google Scholar]
  38. Petrone, C., & Niebuhr, O.
    (2014) On the intonation of German intonation questions: The role of the prenuclear region. Language and Speech, 57(1), 108–146. 10.1177/0023830913495651
     https://doi.org/10.1177/0023830913495651 [Google Scholar]
  39. Pinheiro, J. C., & Bates, D. M.
    (2000) Linear mixed-effects models: basic concepts and examples. Mixed-effects Models in S and S-Plus, 3–56. 10.1007/978‑1‑4419‑0318‑1_1
     https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0318-1_1 [Google Scholar]
  40. R Core Team
    R Core Team (2017) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. Vienna, Austria: R Foundation for Statistical Computing.
     [Google Scholar]
  41. Shih, C.
    (1997) Mandarin third tone sandhi and prosodic structure. Linguistic Models, 20, 81–124.
     [Google Scholar]
  42. Snedeker, J., & Trueswell, J.
    (2003) Using prosody to avoid ambiguity: Effects of speaker awareness and referential context. Journal of Memory and Language, 48(1), 103–130. 10.1016/S0749‑596X(02)00519‑3
     https://doi.org/10.1016/S0749-596X(02)00519-3 [Google Scholar]
  43. Staub, A., & Clifton Jr., C.
    (2006) Syntactic prediction in language comprehension: Evidence from either… or. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 32(2), 425.
     [Google Scholar]
  44. Swerts, M., Collier, R., & Terken, J.
    (1994) Prosodic predictors of discourse finality in spontaneous monologues. Speech Communication, 15(1–2), 79–90. 10.1016/0167‑6393(94)90043‑4
     https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-6393(94)90043-4 [Google Scholar]
  45. Tang, S. W.
    (2015) A generalized syntactic schema for utterance particles in Chinese. Lingua Sinica, 1(1), 1–23. 10.1186/s40655‑015‑0005‑5
     https://doi.org/10.1186/s40655-015-0005-5 [Google Scholar]
  46. Terken, J., & Hirschberg, J.
    (1994): Deaccentuation of words representing ‘given’ information: effects of persistence of grammatical function and surface position. Language and Speech, 37(2), 125–145. 10.1177/002383099403700202
     https://doi.org/10.1177/002383099403700202 [Google Scholar]
  47. Tsai, W. T. D.
    (2010) On the Syntax-Semantics Correspondences of Chinese Modals. Zhongguo Yuwen, 3, 208–221.
     [Google Scholar]
  48. Van de Weijer, J., & Sloos, M.
    (2014) The four tones of Mandarin Chinese: Representation and acquisition. Linguistics in the Netherlands, 31(1), 180–191. 10.1075/avt.31.13wei
     https://doi.org/10.1075/avt.31.13wei [Google Scholar]
  49. Van Heuven, V. J., & Van Zanten, E.
    (2005) Speech rate as a secondary prosodic characteristic of polarity questions in three languages. Speech Communication, 47(1–2), 87–99. 10.1016/j.specom.2005.05.010
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.specom.2005.05.010 [Google Scholar]
  50. Vion, M., & Colas, A.
    (2006) Pitch cues for the recognition of yes-no questions in French. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, 35(5), 427–445. 10.1007/s10936‑006‑9023‑x
     https://doi.org/10.1007/s10936-006-9023-x [Google Scholar]
  51. Wakefield, J. C.
    (2016) Sentence-final particles and intonation: two forms of the same thing. InProceedings of Speech Prosody 2016. 10.21437/SpeechProsody.2016‑179
     https://doi.org/10.21437/SpeechProsody.2016-179 [Google Scholar]
  52. Weber, A., Braun, B., & Crocker, M.
    (2006): Finding referents in time: eyetracking evidence for the role of contrastive accents. Language and Speech, 49(3), 367–392. 10.1177/00238309060490030301
     https://doi.org/10.1177/00238309060490030301 [Google Scholar]
  53. Xu, Y.
    (2001) Fundamental frequency peak delay in Mandarin. Phonetica, 58(1–2), 26–52. 10.1159/000028487
     https://doi.org/10.1159/000028487 [Google Scholar]
  54. Xu, Y., & Wang, Q. E.
    (2001) Pitch targets and their realization: Evidence from Mandarin Chinese. Speech Communication, 33(4), 319–337. 10.1016/S0167‑6393(00)00063‑7
     https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-6393(00)00063-7 [Google Scholar]
  55. Yang, Y.
    (2018) The two sides of wh-indeterminates in Mandarin – a prosodic and processing account. LOT Publication: the Netherlands.
     [Google Scholar]
  56. Yang, Y., Gryllia, S., & Cheng, L. L.-S.
    (2019) Wh-question or wh-declarative? Prosody makes the difference. Manuscript submitted for publication.
     [Google Scholar]
  57. Yuan, J.
    (2004) Intonation in Mandarin Chinese: Acoustics, Perception, and Computational Modeling. Unpublished doctoral thesis, Cornell University, NY.
  58. (2006) Mechanisms of question intonation in Mandarin. InChinese Spoken Language Processing (pp.19–30). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. 10.1007/11939993_7
     https://doi.org/10.1007/11939993_7 [Google Scholar]
  59. Zhang, L.
    (2014) Segmentless sentence-final particles in Cantonese: An experimental study. Studies in Chinese Linguistics, 35(2), 47–60.
     [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/ijchl.18004.yan
Loading
Clause type anticipation based on prosody in Mandarin
International Journal of Chinese Linguistics 6, 1 (2019); https://doi.org/10.1075/ijchl.18004.yan
/content/journals/10.1075/ijchl.18004.yan
/content/journals/10.1075/ijchl.18004.yan
Loading

Data & Media loading...

  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): clausal typing; clause type anticipation; Mandarin wh-declarative/wh-question; perception and gating paradigm; prosody

Most Cited

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error