Phonetic Variation in Jino Tone Sandhi: An Acoustic Study of Speech Data

Abstract

This paper investigates the phonetic variation in tone sandhi patterns in the Jino language, an under-explored language in the Sino-Tibetan family. Through a detailed acoustic experimental study, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the tonal phenomena that occur in the language's tone sandhi process. The study analyzes speech data obtained from native Jino speakers using modern phonetic tools and techniques, such as Praat, to examine the pitch contours and timing aspects of tone sandhi alternations. The results demonstrate significant variations in tonal realizations depending on contextual factors, such as speech rate, prosodic prominence, and the phonetic environment of tone sandhi. This paper contributes to the growing body of work on tonal languages, offering new insights into the mechanisms behind tone sandhi in Jino, with implications for both theoretical and practical linguistics.