EXPLORING THE RISING NUCLEUS IN NIGERIAN ENGLISH TONE PHRASES
Authors: Hannah Tolulope Rimam, Rebecca Chisom Bako
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17433451
Published: January 2024
Abstract
<p><em>This paper analyzes the operation of tone phrases in Nigerian English, focusing on the pattern of rise in the tone phrase with particular emphasis on the nucleus. It examines how statements can be segmented into various tone groups and compares whether these features align with those in British English. Fifty subjects read prepared statements, some drawn from studies by O’Connor and Arnold (1973), Wells (2006), and Cruttenden (1997). Findings indicate that expressions in British English with two or three tone phrases often correspond to a single tone phrase in Popular Nigerian English. This occurs because the nucleus does not carry distinctive stress, and the rise may appear at the tail rather than the final stressed syllable of the tone group.</em></p>
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