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Chapter 3. Building a prosodic profile of European Portuguese varieties

The challenge of mapping intonation and rhythm
  • Marisa Cruz , Pedro Oliveira , Pedro Palma , Bruno Neto and Sónia Frota
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Studies on Variation in Portuguese
This chapter is in the book Studies on Variation in Portuguese

Abstract

In the present paper we explore a methodology to map prosodic variation in Portuguese, namely intonation and rhythm, which goes beyond the traditional approaches used to represent segmental, lexical or syntactic variation. To find the most adequate mapping method for intonation and rhythm, we tested spatial interaction models for the representation of nuclear contours, and spatial interpolation methods for rhythmic distinctions across varieties. Our results show a non-contiguous distribution of prosodic features, thus not matching the regional areas previously defined on the basis of segmental, lexical or syntactic variation. These results, together with those of previous studies across varieties of other languages, provide growing evidence that the distribution of prosodic features tends to be independent of geography, unlike non-prosodic variation.

Abstract

In the present paper we explore a methodology to map prosodic variation in Portuguese, namely intonation and rhythm, which goes beyond the traditional approaches used to represent segmental, lexical or syntactic variation. To find the most adequate mapping method for intonation and rhythm, we tested spatial interaction models for the representation of nuclear contours, and spatial interpolation methods for rhythmic distinctions across varieties. Our results show a non-contiguous distribution of prosodic features, thus not matching the regional areas previously defined on the basis of segmental, lexical or syntactic variation. These results, together with those of previous studies across varieties of other languages, provide growing evidence that the distribution of prosodic features tends to be independent of geography, unlike non-prosodic variation.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. The study of variation in Portuguese 1
  4. Part 1. Variation within national varieties of Portuguese
  5. Chapter 1. Stressed vowels of European Portuguese in spontaneous speech 23
  6. Chapter 2. Glide insertion to break a hiatus across words in European Portuguese 49
  7. Chapter 3. Building a prosodic profile of European Portuguese varieties 81
  8. Chapter 4. The yes-no question contour in Brazilian Portuguese 111
  9. Chapter 5. “ Vocês tenham cuidado, sois educadas para isso” 135
  10. Chapter 6. Variable use of strong preterites 153
  11. Chapter 7. Conditions on variation in pre-nominal possessives in European Portuguese 177
  12. Chapter 8. Clitic climbing in the speech of Braga and Lisbon 199
  13. Chapter 9. Linguistic and social embedding of variable concord with 1st plural nós ‘we’ in Brazilian Portuguese 219
  14. Chapter 10. Analyzing a parametric change in Brazilian Portuguese 233
  15. Part 2. Variation across national varieties of Portuguese
  16. Chapter 11. Agreement in Portuguese 257
  17. Chapter 12. The Portuguese inflected infinitive across varieties 279
  18. Chapter 13. Dative variation in the Portuguese of São Tomé 301
  19. Chapter 14. Simple past with pluperfect interpretation 321
  20. Proper-name index 341
  21. Subject index 343
https://doi.org/10.1075/ihll.14.03cru

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. The study of variation in Portuguese 1
  4. Part 1. Variation within national varieties of Portuguese
  5. Chapter 1. Stressed vowels of European Portuguese in spontaneous speech 23
  6. Chapter 2. Glide insertion to break a hiatus across words in European Portuguese 49
  7. Chapter 3. Building a prosodic profile of European Portuguese varieties 81
  8. Chapter 4. The yes-no question contour in Brazilian Portuguese 111
  9. Chapter 5. “ Vocês tenham cuidado, sois educadas para isso” 135
  10. Chapter 6. Variable use of strong preterites 153
  11. Chapter 7. Conditions on variation in pre-nominal possessives in European Portuguese 177
  12. Chapter 8. Clitic climbing in the speech of Braga and Lisbon 199
  13. Chapter 9. Linguistic and social embedding of variable concord with 1st plural nós ‘we’ in Brazilian Portuguese 219
  14. Chapter 10. Analyzing a parametric change in Brazilian Portuguese 233
  15. Part 2. Variation across national varieties of Portuguese
  16. Chapter 11. Agreement in Portuguese 257
  17. Chapter 12. The Portuguese inflected infinitive across varieties 279
  18. Chapter 13. Dative variation in the Portuguese of São Tomé 301
  19. Chapter 14. Simple past with pluperfect interpretation 321
  20. Proper-name index 341
  21. Subject index 343
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