DIFFERENCES OF AGE AND GENDER IN PITCH RANGE MODULATION IN YES-NO QUESTIONS IN EKEGUSII

Abstract

The aim of the paper was to describe pitch range modulation in yes-no questions
in Ekegusii. In addition to describing the realization of intonation-related
features like upstep and fundamental frequency (F0) in these questions, the
paper has related this realization to the age and gender variables, to show how
varied speakers’ speech is acoustically different. Data were collected from 24
purposively selected native speakers of Ekegusii (12 male and 12 female of
different age groups). They were analysed within the framework of the
Autosegmental-Metrical Theory. Two findings emerged from the analysis. First,
the male speakers’ pitch range modulation was realised at an F0 bottom line of
126 Hz and top line of 242 Hz while the female speakers’ F0 bottom line was 225
Hz and top line 260 Hz. Second, although female speakers produced the
utterances at higher F0s than their male counterparts did, there were variations
across the four age groups of male and female speakers. The largest variation in
F0 occurred among the youth and the smallest among the children. The
advanced-aged female group of participants and the male children’s group
produced the highest F0s while the middle-aged groups (both the female and the
male) produced the lowest F0.