Supplementary Material for: Communicative Functions Integrate Segments in Prosodies and Prosodies in Segments

This paper takes a new look at the traditionally established divide
between sounds and prosodies, viewing it as a useful heuristics in
language descriptions that focus on the segmental make- up of words. It
pleads for a new approach that bridges this reified compartmentalization
of speech in a more global communicative perspective. Data are
presented from a German perception experiment in the framework of the
Semantic Differential that shows interdependence of f0 contours and the
spectral characteristics of a following fricative segment, for the
expression of semantic functions along the scales questioning –
asserting, excited – calm, forceful – not forceful, contrary –
agreeable. The results lead to the conclusion that segments shape
prosodies and are shaped by them in varying ways in the coding of
semantic functions. This implies that the analysis of sentence prosodies
needs to integrate the manifestation of segments, just as the analysis
of segments needs to consider their prosodic embedding. In communicative
interaction, speakers set broad prosodic time windows of varying sizes,
and listeners respond to them. So, future phonetic research needs to
concentrate on speech analysis in such windows.