Tone in the Logoori verb paradigm

Tone pattern is a major feature defining Logoori verb conjugation. Every verb tense follows one of 11 patterns, and the tones of a verb word come from rules for the particular pattern, the tone defining the particular root, and the shape of the verb word (mainly the number of syllables and where there are long vowels). There are two major subgroupings in the patterns, one when there is no object prefix (OP), the second is what happens when there is an object prefix.

The system is very complex, and it is not practical to give a complete explanation here. Instead, here you can see the broad outlines of these patterns, and for further information you can consult the grammar (add link). One problem is that ordinary spelling does not convey any information about tone, or many other details of pronunciation. In this paper, we explain how we augment plain spelling in order to convey information about pronunciation which is not usually included. This information can be very important in interpreting what verb form is being used. (some further details). As an aid to understanding this augmented spelling, each example also has a play-button: if you click the button, you can hear a speaker of the language saying the word.

This page presents systematic examples of representative verb forms, along with playable recordings. The examples are organised so that shorter verbs are to the left and longer verbs are to the right, with the H toned root before the L toned root. The first row is the simple verb, and the second has some object prefix. The roots used below are nwá drink, sha grind, véga shave, roga bewitch, kóoɲa help, bɪɪma measure, vódong’ana go around, ganagana think (about). The object prefixes are ga 'it, them', vʊ 'it', va 'them', kɪ 'it' and kʊ 'us'. The difference between vʊ, kɪ, ga and so on relates to the noun class system – vʊ refers to words like ovosera, ovóró, uvwoova 'porridge; millet; mushroom'. There are also rules of pronunciation where ʊ is pronounced as o in some contexts: these rules are explained in the grammar. One ubiquitous tone rule is seen in many example here. Various rules place a H tone on some vowel in the verb, but then a H tone spreads to syllables that precede. Thus the form pronounced ma kʊgánágáne 'we will think' (under tone pattern 9) comes from ma kʊganagáne with H on the third vowel of the stem – this is where the tone is assigned by the rules – and then that H spreads to preceding vowels. Whenever you see a sequence of H tone marks not separated by the mark ˈ (downstep, meaning a lowering of all tones), you know that the verb tone rules put the tone on that last position, and then a rule of pronunciation puts H tones on the syllables before.

The meaning of the various verb tenses is explained in the grammar. There are at least 8 kinds of past tense and 5 kinds of future; some forms specifically announce that an expected action is now completed, others (similar in form, differing only in tone) explain the circumstances such as why this thing is here or who did it.

Tone pattern 1

Tone pattern 1 follows two main subrules. If there is an object prefix (OP), there is a H on the OP; if there is no OP and if the root is H toned, there is H on the first root vowel. Another rule that figures into this pattern is that "completive" forms have H at the beginning of the verb when the first syllable is "Caa" ("C" is some consonants, plus long aa. Some examples also show the effect of a general rule making a L toned vowel become H before a H toned vowel. Again, this is a complicated rule discussed in the grammar, it is mentioned here so that you understand why you get kʊ́ríkánwɪ́ when you would expect kʊrikanwɪ́ with H only on the last vowel.

Infinitive

Completive middle perfective

Completive middle perfective

Completive recent past

Simple past

Simple future

Rick future

Tone pattern 2

In the second tone pattern, H and L verbs have the same tone. Without an OP, there is H on the first syllable of the root (which spreads to the preceding syllable), except that a verb root with a single syllable has H only on the syllable before the root. When there is an OP, the H is assigned to the OP, and then if the root is L toned, a second H may appear on the second vowel of the root. A "downstep" (written with ˈ ) then separates the two H tones.

Remote past

Above, the description says that with L verbs having an OP, "a second H may appear on the second vowel of the root". The example kwááváganagana can also be pronounced as kwááváˈgánágana. "Second vowel" is not the same as "second syllable", which is why you get kwááváˈrógá (two vowels, two sylables) but wáákíˈbɪ́ɪ́ma (three vowels, two syllables).

Tone pattern 3

The third pattern is similar to pattern 2, except that the root vowel is not H toned. (actually the data are somewhat messed up owing to variation issues)

Stative

Tone pattern 4

In the fourth pattern, there is a final H which usually spreads to the left, for both H and L verbs. When the verb has an OP, there is H on the first syllable of the root, and if the root has three or more syllables, there is also a final H (which spreads to the left and is separated from the first H by downstep).

Distant perfective

Tone pattern 5

In pattern 5, H verbs have no H tone, and L verbs have H on the second vowel of the root. When there is an OP, H verbs have H on the first root syllable, and L verbs have H on the second vowel as you find when there is no OP.

Hodiernal perfective

Tone pattern 6

The sixth pattern generally has two H tones, sometimes three. The first H is on the root-initial syllable, unless the root has only one syllable then the H is on the prefix before the root. The second H is on the final vowel. If there is an OP, the first H goes to that prefix, and the second H is at the end of the verb. Sometimes, with longer verbs, you instead have separate Hs on the last and second-from-last syllables.

Recent past

Tone pattern 7

In the seventh pattern, H verbs have their H tone on the last syllable (which is long in this tense) and L verbs have a H on the second vowel (the entire syllable if it is long, the first two syllables if the first syllable is short). When there is an OP, the pattern is the same for L verbs, but the H is on the first root syllable with H verbs; then if the stem has 3 or more syllables, there is also a final H (with downstep separating the two Hs).

Progressive

Tone pattern 8

Tone pattern 8 is almost the same as pattern 7. The only difference is that H verbs without OP do not have any H when the stem is CV or CVCV.

Persistive

Contingent

Indefinite future

Tone pattern 9

With this pattern, both H and L verbs without OP have the same pattern, which is a H on the second syllable, or the third syllable if the second syllable is short. (Okay, the examples make me look like a liar, so I need to fix this). When there is an OP, we find the same pattern as Tone Pattern 8 with OP – L verbs have H on the second vowel, H verbs have H on the root-initial syllable and the final vowel if the stem is longer than two syllables.

Crastinal future

Tone pattern 10

The pattern of the imperative, the 10th pattern, is that H verbs have no H in case the stem is CV or CVCV and final H otherwise; and L verbs have no H at all. (Okay, the short ones sound somewhat high). Imperative with OP shift to a different suffix structure and tone pattern, see blow.

Imperative

With an OP, we find a final H plus a H on the second stem vowel if the stem has three or more syllables.

Tone pattern 11

The final pattern, 11, has two H tone in both H and L verbs. Where there is no OP, there is a H on the final vowel, then there may be a H on the second syllable if the stem has more than 3 syllables. (Need CVCVCV etc and the whole truth). If there is an OP, the same general pattern is found but the first H is on the first syllable of the stem, not the second syllable.

Immediate imperative