Quantity and Tone in Finnish Lexically Stressed Syllables

This paper presents results from a study on the tonal aspects of quantity in Finnish lexically stressed syllables. Fourteen speakers produced a set of 66 utterances where the quantity and structure of the lexically stressed syllable was systematically varied. The tonal aspects of the syllable nucleus and nucleus and coda in case of closed syllables was studied in the framework of the Target Approximation theory as formulated by Yi Xu. The results show a clear tendency towards the quantity distinction and bimoracity in general in Finnish to be signalled tonally by a dynamic falling tone as opposed to a static high tone in short (one mora) nuclei.