Japanese Studies Program @ York University

JP1000 Introductory Lecture 05

PHONOLOGY: SUPRASEGMENTAL

ACCENTUATION:

       JAPANESE				ENGLISH

pitch (or plateau) accent           stress (or peak) accent
pitch levels (low, high)            stress (primary, secondary, tertiary)
syllable-timed                      vowel lengthening, ...
no extra-prominence given           main stress given to one syllable
to any syllable

(e.g.)   bànana                         banâna
         tòmato                         tomâto
         karèndaa                       câlendar
         piano                   	piâno

ACCENT TYPES: number of syllables {n}  + 1

n = 1     Ò x        or    O x
n = 2     Ò O x      or    O Ò x      or    O O x
n = 3     Ò O O x    or    O Ò O x    or    O O Ò x    or    O O O x
   .
   .
   .                                                 (x = particle, ...)

The accent mark [ ` ] is placed on the last high syllable which is followed by low
ones.

(e.g.)    o soroshi i = osoroshìi            ha jimema shite = hajimemàshite
	  L  H H  H L			      L  H H H   L L
(exercise)
   
ka ga                ùmi ga               konà ga              hoshi ga              

sòra ga              ts(u)chì ga          kodomo ga            hànabi ga            

kudàmono ga          gakkoo ga   	  bùnshoo ga           koojòo ga            

omoi                 kowài                kawaìi               arùku                

tomaru               kàeru                ts(u)karèru          shirabèru             

kèredo               shibàraku            konogoro             taitee                

hakkìri              massùgu              sappàri              don'yòri             

yooyaku              nakanaka		  omoshiròi	       Kyòoto

Àni wa  hòn o yonde-imas(u).      Inù to nèko ga sànbiki imas(u).


FUNCTIONS OF ACCENT:

a) differentiate homonyms:  	kàku 'write'  / kaku 'lack'

                                kàta 'shoulder'/ katà 'pattern'

b) indicate word/phrase boundary:

                                shàkai   +     mondai    ----> shakaimòndai
                                society'     'problem'        'social problem'


INTONATION: to be expanded later

Sòo des(u) ka./		Sòo des(u) ka.\/	Sòo des(u) ka.\
'Is that so?'           'Are you sure?'		'Oh, I see.'

Ohayoo gozaimaas(u).~	Konnichi waa.~		Kanpaai.~

Hints & Suggestions

Accentuation and intonation are very important vehicles to convey speakers' feelings and emotions.
When you state, repeat, and read something, try pouring your feelings into the expression (empathizing)

Introduction to Japanese writing: HIRAGANA

identify each hiragana
irregular uses: 	particles wa は, e　へ, (w)o　を　   あのひとはなにをかいましたか。せんしゅうどこへいきましたか。	　
long vowels: 　　　　　　	x-ee　-い, x-oo　-う　	　　　	　せんせい、えいが、きょうと、どうりょう		
geminates: 　　　		small tsu　っ                     　はっぴょう、しっぱい、かっぱつ
syllabic nasal:　　　　　　　	ん                          	　こんばん、はんのう、べんきょう
palatalized syllables: 	small ya　ゃ, yu　ゅ, yo　ょ　　　	　きゃくしゃ、きゅうりょう、しゅみ
punctuation: 		ten　、 maru　。			　こんげつは、かいしゃのしごとでパリにいきます。
quotation marks: 	「いつきたの。」

Hints & Suggestions

Be aware of some discrepancies between actual pronunciation and Hiragana spelling. So do not write as you hear in dictation.
Keep rules in mind and always think of the meaning of each sentence.

link: Hiragana Wiki

© Norio Ota 2021