The differential status of semivowels in the acoustic phonetic realisation of tone

The distribution of tonal fundamental frequency is dctcrmined on syllabics differing with respect to semivowels in their segmental structure for three of the contrasting tones from the Chinese Wu dialect of Zhenhai. Comparison with mean 170 and duration measurements from CV syllables dcmonstratcs differential distribution of tonally relevant FO with respect to the scmivowcl, conditioned by the absence or presence of a syllabic-initial consonant. A functional explanation for the difference is proposed by relating it to a previous linding on the relationship between syllable-initial glides and intrinsic FO transitions. Implications of the finding arc explored for the phonological integration of semivowels into metrical syllable structure.