Prosody examples

1. Length. a) Czech vowels

Short vowels Long vowels

I mIl mile `nicely' i mil míle `mile'

lt let `flight' lt lét `summer' (gen. pl.)

a rat rad `row' (gen. pl.) a rat rád `order'

u domu domu `house' (gen. sg.) u domu domu° `home' (adv.)

b) Hindi consonants

Short consonants Long consonants

t pt `address' (n.) t pt `leaf'

t^h kt^h `narrative' t^h kt^h `red powdered bark'

d d `mace' (weapon) d d `mattress'

t bt `save' t bt `child'

p `to make someone agree' p `a fold' (in cloth)

k pk `cook' (v.) k pk `firm'

2. Pitch and length in Croatian ("pitch accent")

Long falling Short falling

têk tek `appetite' têk tek `only'

Long rising Short falling

ìíle vile `fairies' île vile `hayfork'

dùúa duga `rainbow' dûa duga `stave'

Long-long Short-short

kûtca ku¢a `houses' (gen.) kûtca ku¢a `a house'

3. Lexical tone in Cantonese

High level síí `silk'

Mid level sii `to try'

Low-mid level sìì `matter'

Low fall siì `time'

High rise sií `history'

Low rise sìi `city'

Short vowels				Long vowels
I	mIl	mile	`nicely'	i	mil	míle	`mile'
	lt	let	`flight'		lt	lét	`summer' (gen. pl.)
a	rat	rad	`row' (gen. pl.)	a	rat	rád	`order'
u	domu	domu	`house' (gen. sg.)	u	domu	domu°	`home' (adv.)

Short consonants			Long consonants
t	pt	`address' (n.)	t	pt	`leaf'
t^h	kt^h	`narrative'	t^h	kt^h	`red powdered bark'
d	d	`mace' (weapon)	d	d	`mattress'
t	bt	`save'	t	bt	`child'
	p	`to make someone agree'		p	`a fold' (in cloth)
k	pk	`cook' (v.)	k	pk	`firm'

Long falling			Short falling
têk	tek	`appetite'	têk	tek	`only'

Long rising			Short falling
ìíle	vile	`fairies'	île	vile	`hayfork'
dùúa	duga	`rainbow'	dûa	duga	`stave'

Long-long			Short-short
kûtca	ku¢a	`houses' (gen.)	kûtca	ku¢a	`a house'

High level	síí	`silk'
Mid level	sii	`to try'
Low-mid level	sìì	`matter'
Low fall	siì	`time'
High rise	sií	`history'
Low rise	sìi	`city'