On the perception and production of tone in Xhosa

Abstract

This article is concerned with the perception of tone in speech and its consequences for tonal descriptions and the formulation of phonological theories. Confusions in the perception of Xhosa tonal data are discussed. The role of relatively high intensity levels and its influence on tonal perception is illustrated. The existence of a mid tone in Xhosa is critically evaluated in view of experimental phonetic data. An experiment regarding strategies in the production of tonal sequences in Xhosa is described in an attempt to explain discrepancies in tonal data.