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Article published In: Diachrony of Tone
Edited by Sandra Auderset, Rikker Dockum and Ryan Gehrmann
[Diachronica 42:3/4] 2025
► pp. 451–478

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Tonogenesis

A diachronic typology

ORCiD logo with link | Oxford University
ORCiD logo with link | The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
ORCiD logo with link | University of Neuchâtel | University of Zurich
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Available under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 4.0 license.

For any use beyond this license, please contact the publisher at rights@benjamins.nl.

Open Access publication of this article was funded through a Transformative Agreement with University of Oxford.

Published online: 28 July 2025
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https://doi.org/10.1075/dia.24022.sae
Abstract
This article presents the Database of Tonogenetic Events (DTE), which describes 259 tonogenetic events from 104 genealogically and geographically diverse language varieties. The DTE allows us to identify the main types of reported tonogenesis triggering contexts, the types of resultant tones, and their effects on pitch. We illustrate the usefulness of the database with case studies addressing (i) the frequency of different types of tonogenesis, (ii) the diachronic pathways linking phonological triggering context and resultant tone, and (iii) areal trends. We also discuss the shortcomings of the database with respect to the diachronic typological study of tone.
Résumé
Cet article présente la base de données des événements tonogénétiques (« Database of topogenetic events », DTE). Cette base décrit 259 événements tonogénétiques tirés de 104 langues génétiquement et géographiquement variées. La DTE nous permet d’identifier les principaux types de contextes de déclenchement de la tonogénèse, les types de tons résultants et leurs effets sur la hauteur tonale. Nous illustrons l’utilité de la base de données par des études de cas portant sur (i) la fréquence de différents types de tonogenèse, (ii) les liens diachroniques entre contextes de déclenchement phonologique et tons résultants, et (iii) les tendances aréales. Nous soulignons également certaines lacunes de DTE concernant l’étude typologique diachronique des tons.
Zusammenfassung
Dieser Artikel stellt die Database of Tonogenetic Events (DTE) vor, in der 259 tonogenetische Ereignisse aus 104 genealogisch und geografisch vielfältigen Sprachvarietäten beschrieben werden. Die DTE ermöglicht es, die Haupttypen der berichteten Kontexte, die eine Tonogenese auslösen, die daraus resultierenden Töne sowie deren Auswirkungen auf die Tonhöhe zu identifizieren. Wir veranschaulichen die Nützlichkeit der Datenbank anhand von Fallstudien, die (i) die Häufigkeit unterschiedlicher Tonogenese-Typen untersuchen, (ii) die diachronen Pfade zwischen dem phonologischen Auslöserkontext und dem resultierenden Ton nachvollziehen und (iii) areale Trends beleuchten. Ausserdem diskutieren wir die Grenzen der Datenbank im Hinblick auf eine diachrone typologische Untersuchung von Ton.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Tone and tonogenesis
    • 2.1The definition of tone and criteria for inclusion in the DTE
    • 2.2Tonogenesis
    • 2.3Types of tonogenesis
  • 3.A database of tonogenetic events
    • 3.1Overview
    • 3.2Structure of the sample and its contents
    • 3.3Strict and broad tonogenesis
  • 4.Case studies
    • 4.1Distribution of types
    • 4.2Strict and broad tonogenesis
    • 4.3Areal trends
    • 4.4Convergence of multiple pathways
  • 5.Discussion
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Supplementary material
  • Acknowledgments
  • Notes
  • References
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