306
Despite the examples which necessitate lexically prescribed tone linkages, for the majority of the words and processes in Soyaltepec Mazatec, the application of the UAC is not contraindicated with the following
stipulations: 1. The phonological domain encompasses the entire noun phrase or a verb and closely
associated nouns when the number of TBUs in the domain is equal to the number of TRNs and at least one morpheme has less TRNs than TBUs or if the following
morpheme is monosyllabic. 2. Despite the ability to spread extra tones across morpheme boundaries, preference is still given
to lexically prescribed tones. 3. There are some tones that must be linked in the lexicon and, or the direction of alignment may
need to be specified lexically for some morphemes. 4. An unassociated tone between two linked tones within a grammatical word will associate to a
stressed syllable if available. In general, having a few tones which need to be linked in the lexicon does not contraindicate the
application of the UAC, and assuming its general precepts simplifies the explanation of the tonal processes that occur. However, it is clear that it cannot be seen as a strict, universal convention. Whether or not the
analyst chooses to presuppose the UAC or to assume that most tones are linked in the lexicon, the depiction of the tones using RTT is useful to the understanding of the system.
6.4 Tonal Typology
Pizer 1994 suggested that Soyaltepec Mazatec did not fall neatly within either of the traditional typological categories used to describe tone and suggested that there should there be a third distinction
which she entitled Mesoamerican. Yip 2002 also seems to offer a third distinction for tone languages which she calls tone systems of the Americas. The data from Soyaltepec Mazatec presented in this
dissertation reveal that the system possesses some characteristics that are more African in nature and some that are more Asian; however, there are no processes that fall outside both groups.
307
The first characteristic that is usually considered when labeling a tone language is the type of tones that are present. Asian languages tend to have more contour tones than level tones while African languages
tend to have mostly level tones. In this manner, Soyaltepec Mazatec appears more like an Asian language since it has four level tones and seven contour tones. The second distinction is that Asian languages usually
have unitary contour tones while African languages tend to have level tones with contours which are made up of combinations of the level tones expressed on a single syllable. Based solely on this distinction,
Soyaltepec Mazatec appears to fit in better with African tone languages. While there are at least two contour tones in Soyaltepec Mazatec which appear to be units M
2
-H and L-M
2
, there are no processes which exploit their unitary nature. On the other hand, there are several instances in which the composite
nature of the majority of the contour tones is exploited. Also, a register lowering process similar in nature to the downstep traditionally found in African tone languages was found. The tones in Soyaltepec Mazatec
have a strong affinity for their TBU which is similar to Asian tone languages; however, it is common for the TBU to surface with its tone altered even though the lexical tonal information is maintained. Also,
while the processes that occur in Soyatlepec Mazatec are very reminiscent of African tone systems, the highly mobile tones often exhibited in African systems do not occur.
In order to visualize and summarize these differences and the place of Soyaltepec Mazatec SM in the typology, I have placed the characteristics as described in Yip 2002 in Table 6-1. While the
characteristics given are not exhaustive or strictly binary i.e., agreement on one side of the chart does not automatically signify disagreement on the other side, they give a picture of the tendencies of the two
groups. When Soyaltepec Mazatec exhibits the given characteristic, a checkmark is placed in the following column under SM. When the characteristic is present, but not definitive, an asterisk is placed. If the
characteristic is not present, the SM cell is left blank.
308
Table 6-1 Asian versus African tonal systems and the place of Soyaltepec Mazatec
Asian Tonal Systems SM
African Tonal Systems SM
complex inventories ✓
small tonal inventories heavy lexical weight on tones
✓ grammatical tones
✓ unitary contours
sequential contours ✓
strong affinity of tone to TBU ✓
highly mobile tones spread blocked by assigned TBUs
✓ toneless TBUs common
complex sandhi: local affect assimilation,
dissimilation, contour metathesis,
chain-shifting ✓
sandhi: spreading polar tones
downstep OCP motivated changes
✓ ✓
From the list of characteristics given in Table 6-1, it is evident that Soyaltepec Mazatec has characteristics of both African and Asian tone systems; however, there is more agreement with the Asian
tone characteristics. These characteristics place greater emphasis on tonal inventory and the nature of the tones themselves than on the tonal processes. For a different perspective, I present a comparison chart
created by Hyman 2007:17 which highlights eleven typical characteristics of tone languages. The characteristics from the chart are reproduced here in Table 6-2. When the tone system of Soyaltepec
Mazatec aligns with a given characteristic, a checkmark is placed in the box following that characteristic and an asterick indicates that the characteristic at least partially applies.
309
Table 6-2 Soyaltepec Mazatec in Tonal Typology “Contour tone systems” ASIAN
SM “Register tone systems” AFRICAN
SM
Fewer level tones than contours ✓
More level tones than contours Contour tones = units
Contour tones = sequences clusters ✓
Contour tones have free distribution within the utterance
✓
Contour tones clusters are often limited to the last syllable
Dissimilation of contour + contour
133
Dissimilation of contour tones = rare
✓
Metathesis of features within a contour
134
Metathesis of contour tones = rare
✓
No downstep Downstep
✓
Floating tones = rare Floating tones = frequent
✓
Tone spreading = rare Tone spreading = frequent
✓
Function of tone = lexical Function = lexical andor grammatical
✓
Words are monosyllabic Words come in various sizes
✓
Tones are restricted by syllable type Tones may occur on any syllable type
✓
The reason an asterick is placed in the cell describing unitary contours in Soyaltepec Mazatec has already been discussed: there are two contours which appear to be unitary; however, there are three rising contours
and a falling contour which are definitively concatenations. The second asteric in this chart appears because even though one of the Asian characteristics of allowing contour tones on any syllable is present in
Soyaltepec Mazatec, it is also true that the contour tones are still more commonly found on the final syllable. Although the tonal inventory of Soyaltepec Mazatec is perhaps more complicated than some
African Tone languages with four levels of tone and a proliferation of contours, according to the characteristics in Table 6-2 it overwhelmingly aligns with the register type languages traditionally found in
Africa.
133
As in the process in Tianjin 35-35 → 55-35.
134
As in the process in Pingyao 53-53 → 35-53.
310
Given the two different sets of characteristics, one summarized from Yip 2002 in which Soyaltepec Mazatec aligns more with the Asian systems, and the other from Hyman 2007 in which
Soyaltepec Mazatec aligns with the African systems, it is apparent that the tonal system in question is not easily characterized into one group or the other. Soyatlepec Mazatec has an Asian tonal inventory whose
tones participate in African type processes. Based on the tonal data from Soyaltepec Mazatec, there is no reason to advocate a third type of tone language specifically for the Americas. However, there is motivation
to eliminate the either-or mindset and strict division set up by the binary typology.
6.5 Recommendations for Future Research
