LINGUIST List 18.1484
Tue May 15 2007
Diss: Phonetics/Phonology/Socioling: Ouafeu: 'Intonational Meaning ...'
Editor for this issue: Hunter Lockwood
<hunterlinguistlist.org>
Directory
1. Yves
Talla Sando Ouafeu,
Intonational Meaning in Cameroon English Discourse: A sociolinguistic perspective
Message 1: Intonational Meaning in Cameroon English Discourse: A sociolinguistic perspective
Date: 14-May-2007
From: Yves Talla Sando Ouafeu <sandoyvesyahoo.com>
Subject: Intonational Meaning in Cameroon English Discourse: A sociolinguistic perspective
Institution: Universitaet Freiburg im Breisgau
Program: Phonology and sociolinguistics
Dissertation Status: Completed
Degree Date: 2006
Author: Yves Talla Sando Ouafeu
Dissertation Title: Intonational Meaning in Cameroon English Discourse: A sociolinguistic perspective
Dissertation URL: http://www.cuvillier.ch/flycms/de/html/30/-UickI3zKPSj6ckY=/Buchdetails.htm
Linguistic Field(s):
Phonetics
Phonology
Sociolinguistics
Subject Language(s): English (eng)
Dissertation Director:
Ulrike Gut
Christian Mair
Dissertation Abstract:
This study is dedicated to a thorough phonetic description of theintonation of Cameroon English, a non-native variety of English. It focuseson the usage of specific tones, paratone and the intonational marking ofthe information status in discourse. Two main descriptive frameworks,namely the Discourse Intonation framework and the Auto-Segmental Metricalapproach were used. Data from natural conversation as well as from passagereading were analysed both auditorily and acoustically and with relation tothe sociolinguistic variables education and gender and the linguisticvariable speaking style. Results showed that Cameroon English intonationhas its specificities which distinguish it not only from Standard Englishbut also from other non-native varieties of English. For example, CameroonEnglish speakers, unlike speakers of other non-native varieties of English(cf. Nigerian English), make new information more prominent than giveninformation in the discourse structure. New information is spoken withhigher intensity than given information in Cameroon English. Besides, itwas found that Cameroon English speakers make extensive use of the fallingtone which led the author to argue that "the falling tone does a lot ofwork in Cameroon English intonation" (p. 169). Finally, findings revealedthat sociolinguistic theories postulated in native English communities donot necessarily apply in non-native English communities.
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