Universal 2028:

Universal 2028:

Original

Generally agreed upon “facts” about contour tones (marked = more complex, rarer):

(a) contour tones are more marked than level tones;
(b) rising tones are more marked than falling tones;
(c) rising-falling and falling-rising tones are more marked than rising and falling tones.

Markedness generalizations:
The more marked a tone is,
(i) the more likely it is absent in a tone system;
(ii) the more likely it is to be restricted to a hospitable tone bearing unit (e.g. long, prominent, sonorous).

Standardized

Generally agreed upon “facts” about contour tones (marked = more complex, rarer):
(a) contour tones are more marked than level tones;
(b) rising tones are more marked than falling tones;
(c) rising-falling and falling-rising tones are more marked than rising and falling tones.
Markedness generalizations:The more marked a tone is, (i) the more likely it is absent in a tone system;(ii) the more likely it is to be restricted to a hospitable tone bearing unit (e.g. long, prominent, sonorous).

Keywords

tone, contour tone, level tone, markedness

Domain

phonology

Type

implication

Status

achronic

Quality

absolute?

Basis

“general agreement of experts”

Source

Hyman 2003

Counterexamples