Combining Formal and Functional Approaches to Topic Structure

Autor/inn/en	Zellers, Margaret; Post, Brechtje
Titel	Combining Formal and Functional Approaches to Topic Structure
Quelle	In: Language and Speech, 55 (2012) 1, S.119-139 (21 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0023-8309
DOI	10.1177/0023830911428872
Schlagwörter	Suprasegmentals; Phonetics; Interaction; Phonology; Speech Communication; Cues; Mixed Methods Research; Language Research; Qualitative Research; Statistical Analysis; English + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Phonetik; Fonetik; Interaktion; Fonologie; Stichwort; Sprachforschung; Qualitative Forschung; Statistische Analyse; English language; Englisch
Abstract	Fragmentation between formal and functional approaches to prosodic variation is an ongoing problem in linguistic research. In particular, the frameworks of the Phonetics of Talk-in-Interaction (PTI) and Empirical Phonology (EP) take very different theoretical and methodological approaches to this kind of variation. We argue that it is fruitful to adopt the insights of both PTI's qualitative analysis and EP's quantitative analysis and combine them into a multiple-methods approach. One realm in which it is possible to combine these frameworks is in the analysis of discourse topic structure and the prosodic cues relevant to it. By combining a quantitative and a qualitative approach to discourse topic structure, it is possible to give a better account of the observed variation in prosody, for example in the case of fundamental frequency (F0) peak timing, which can be explained in terms of pitch accent distribution over different topic structure categories. Similarly, local and global patterns in speech rate variation can be better explained and motivated by adopting insights from both PTI and EP in the study of topic structure. Combining PTI and EP can provide better accounts of speech data as well as opening up new avenues of investigation which would not have been possible in either approach alone. (Contains 4 figures, 4 tables, and 9 notes.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10