The Intonational Phonology of Swabian and Upper Saxon (Linguistische Arbeiten)

The study employs an autosegmental-metrical model of intonation to propose an intonational grammar of Swabian and Upper Saxon German, respectively. The analysis is guided by the assumption that each dialect exhibits a specific distinct intonation. The phonological analysis is comparative in nature: the implementation of accents are compared between the dialects in terms of tonal alignment and excursion. In fact, the phonetic data present evidence for the phonological analysis in that the individual tonal categories differ significantly from each other. In addition, a functional analysis of the intonation contours provides further evidence for the phonological analysis. Based on the assumption that nuclear contours convey intonational meaning, these meanings are analysed and compared. A certain meaning can be attributed to intonation contours that differ phonologically between the two dialects. However, the general shape of contours and its association with meaning has been proved to be identical in the two dialects and compared to a similar analysis of intonational meaning of British English. This comprehensive study of dialect intonation contributes to improve our understanding of intonational phonology. Over the past few decades, the book series Linguistische Arbeiten [Linguistic Studies], comprising over 500 volumes, has made a significant contribution to the development of linguistic theory both in Germany and internationally. The series will continue to deliver new impulses for research and maintain the central insight of linguistics that progress can only be made in acquiring new knowledge about human languages both synchronically and diachronically by closely combining empirical and theoretical analyses. To this end, we invite submission of high-quality linguistic studies from all the central areas of general linguistics and the linguistics of individual languages which address topical questions, discuss new data and advance the development of linguistic theory. Review text: "KÜGLERS Arbeit leistet einen Beitrag sowohl zur Erforschung der Intonation des Schwäbischen und des Obersächsischen, als auch zur Theoriebildung und kann damit sowohl für Dialektologen, als auch für Intonationsphonologen von Interesse sein. ... Das Buch bietet also eine Vielzahl von Anknüpfungspunkten für weiterführende Studien und Diskussionen."Gilbert Ambrazaitis in: Zeitschrift für Dialektologie und Linguistik 1/2009 Acknowledgments Contents 1. Introduction 2. The empirical basis 3. Modeling dialect intonation 4. Swabian German Intonation Patterns 5. Upper Saxon German Intonation Patterns 6. Realisational differences between Swabian and Upper Saxon German 7. A note on intonational meaning 8. Summary and Conclusion A Map Tasks Bibliography Frank Kügler. Originally Presented As The Author's Thesis (doctoral - Potsdam) Under The Title: Swabian And Upper Saxon Intonational Patterns. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [185]-194). The book series Linguistische Arbeiten (LA) publishes high-quality work in linguistics that addresses current issues in synchrony and diachrony, theoretically or empirically oriented.