Intonation and focus marking in Kakataibo

Abstract

This paper explores experimentally the prosodic correlates, namely f0 and pause insertion, of focus marking in the San Alejandro dialect of Kakataibo (Pano). By examining sentences with all-new focus, narrow focus (on the subject, object and adjunct) and predicate focus, it is observed that the higher f0 falls at the beginning of the sentence in the first two types of focus sentences but occurs at the end of the sentence in predicate focus. In addition, a pause occurs after the first constituent in sentence and narrow focus, but is much less frequent in predicate focus.