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- Topic #1: Phonology
A Phonological Description of Tone Metathesis in Igbo
Abstract
Scholars have discussed metathesis as a phonological process involving only the segmental phonemes. There have also been seminal papers on tone as a very important issue in phonology, but none has considered studying metathesis in relation to tone. This paper re-examines metathesis in Igbo with a view to establishing that the process involves both the segmental phonemes and the supra-segments (tone). Data obtained from Igbo texts and Ogbunike Igbo variety are descriptively and acoustically analysed. The results reveal that tone metathesis sometimes occurs in Igbo during connected speech, particularly across word boundary where the first word must have a High Downstep (H ↓H) tone sequence and the second word is High High (H H) tone sequence. Irrespective of the application of the correct tone sequences, tone metathesis can never occur if the first word is in its infinitive form. It is concluded that metathesis involves both the segmental phonemes and supra-segments (tone) in the Igbo language.