Investigating Post-Focus Compression in the Saraiki Language
Keywords:
Post Focus Compression, Saraiki, Indo-Aryan LanguageAbstract
This study investigates the manifestation of post-focus compression (PFC) in the saraiki language, a member of the Indo-Aryan language family. Through an analysis of fundamental frequency, syllable duration, and intensity patterns, the study reveals that Saraiki do not possess post-focus compression. Specifically, while there is a slight increase in fundamental frequency in sentence-initial focus positions, a noticeable decrease is observed in medial word focus positions. Similarly, syllable duration shows a minor decrease in sentence-initial focus positions but a significant increase in medial word focus positions. Despite these observed patterns, statistical analysis indicates that the differences in prosodic features between post focus and neutral phrases do not reach significance. This study was conducted to verify the hypothesis that post-focus compression is spread vertically in language families and all the languages that have post-focus compression originated from a single proto-language. The findings of this study indicates that Saraiki do not possess PFC.
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