The Tonological Study on Giha Infinitive Verbs

Abstract

Phonologists point out that accented languages have got a predictable tonal pattern. From this point, then each accented language has its Basic Tone Melody which is derived from the nucleus of the Melodic Tone. The accent is always associated with a certain tone in the Basic Tone Melody. Giha is among of the accented languages. Thus, this paper is aimed at identifying the Basic Tone Melody and describing the specific tone in the Basic Tone Melody which is associated with the accent in Giha infinitives. Also, this paper shows the rules which govern the tonological pattern in this language. The data used herein were collected by recording 15 native speakers of Giha language from Karunga village in Kasulu district of Kigoma region and was analyzed autosegmentally. The sample was selected by pointing elders aged 50 years and above. Then the pointed elders were selected randomly.  The findings show that the Basic Tone Melody for Giha verbs is Low, High, Low (LHL) and the accent is associated with the left side low tone of the Basic Tone Melody.