Tonal substitution in Aguluezechukwu dialect of Igbo

Abstract

Tone in African languages is a phonological feature which distinguishes meaning. This paper aims to ascertain tonal substitution in Aguluezechukwu dialect of Igbo in relation to the standard Igbo, in addition to identifying the function of contour tone in the dialect. Data were obtained through structured oral interview, which was facilitated by the use of a digital recorder to ensure perceptual clarity. The data were phonetically transcribed, glossed and descriptively analyzed. The study reveals that the tonal marking of some nouns in Aguluezechukwu dialect of Igbo sometimes vary, and contour tone in the Aguluezechukwu dialect of Igbo occurs as a result of the presence of long vowels. This study concludes that contour tone in Aguluezechukwu dialect of Igbo is accorded phonetic status rather than phonemic status because new meaning is not derived regardless of the change in tone.