DEPARTMENT OF LINGUISTICS AND LANGUAGES

Intonation in Ekegusii Structure, Interpretation and Function

29th of March 2016
By
Samwel Komenda
Members Present
MEMBERS OF STAFF
1. Dr. Helga Schroeder (chair, secretary)
2. Prof. John Hamu Habwe
3. Dr. Jane Oduor
4. Dr. Prisa Jerono
5. Prof.
6. Prof. Rayya Timmamy
7. Mr. Lukaka
8. Xu Jing Rotich
9. Dr. Maloba Wekesa
10. Mr. Fred Atoh
11. Prof. Kithaka wa Mberia
REMARKS FROM THE CHAIR
Members were thanked for being present. Mr. Komenda was introduced.
MAIN AGENDA
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Introduction to the problem

Statement of the problem
Research questions
Research objectives
Research hypotheses
Theoretical framework Autosegmental Metrical Theory, Tone and Break
Index (Beckman and Ayers 2005), Information Structure Lambrecht
(1994)
Research Methodology, signal processing software PRAAT

QUESTIONS RAISED FOR CORRECTIONS

It was observed as follows
General issues

-1-

Definition of intonation, definition of tone versus intonation

The student has to decide on the level of intonation phrases, do the intonation
phrase include phrases or sentences or both?
The student has to be sure about the dialectal boundaries of Ekegusii.
The student has to deal and discuss the status of intonation in tone languages
vs. the status of intonation in stress languages. Ekegusii is a tone language.
Student was adviced to change the general direction of his thesis from the
pragmatic perspective to information structure as he is not including any
contextual information in his study.
Statement of the problem
The student has to refine his statement of the problem in light of the claims of
information structure.
Objectives
The objectives have to be lined up with the new direction of the study
Methodology
The student has to consider different intonation patterns according to age and
gender. He has to adapt his sample size to gender and also clearly state the
number of informants he will use.
Scope and limitation
The student has to determine the scope of his study in light of the scope of
information structure and see how he fits in the idea of interpretation and
perception. He has to consider what from phonology can pair with the claims
of information structure. He has to ask himself whether for example
illocutionary force can be measured in phonological units.
The department accepted the proposal. The student has to implement the changes under
the supervision of his supervisors Dr. Jane Oduor and Dr. Prisca Jerono. After that the
proposal is ready to be presented at the Faculty Postgraduate Committee.

Prof. Kithaka wa Mberia

Dr. Helga Schrder

-2-