Strengthening and Weakening of Tone in Igbo: A Descriptive Analysis

Abstract

Tone is an important aspect of Igbo phonology because of its lexical and grammatical functions in distinguishing meaning in the language. Over the years, scholars have extensively investigated tone in Igbo from various perspectives. Previous studies have also examined strengthening and weakening as phonological processes involving segmental phonemes. This paper, however, re-examines the Igbo tonal system to establish that these processes also involve suprasegmental features, particularly tone, during connected speech. Data obtained from Igbo texts and the Ọmambala speech variety of the Igbo language were descriptively analysed. The findings reveal that, in Igbo speech production, the phonological processes of strengthening and weakening involve not only segmental phonemes but also the suprasegmental feature of tone. The study therefore demonstrates that tonal modification constitutes an important aspect of phonological processes in connected Igbo speech.