Periodic Reporting for period 1 - THoT (Theory of Tone)
Reporting period: 2023-09-01 to 2026-02-28
A precise definition and parametrization of the components of a tonal system is a necessary prerequisite to a typological comparative study of highly diverse tonal systems. There is a gap in the phonological typology, where tone is practically missing, as in the Grambank database https://grambank.clld.org/(opens in new window). The only tonal parameter taken into account by typologists on world-wide samples so far was the “number of tones”. Unfortunately, this parameter is based on a poorly defined notion of tone, as in WALS (World Atlas of Language Structures, https://wals.info/(opens in new window)) or in the Phonological typology book by M. K. Gordon (Oxford University Press, 2016), and is hard to interpret theoretically.
The main objective of the ThoT project is to develop a standard model of analysis of diverse tonal systems which will enable linguists to do a typological comparison based on various parameters and to study the interplay of these parameters.
Another aspect of the typological comparative study of tonal systems is quantitative, it is based on the measurement of tonal density, first formulated by Carlos Gussenhoven (2004), who has however developed a working model of its calculation.
The main objective of the ThoT project is to develop a standard model of analysis of diverse tonal systems which will enable linguists to do a typological comparison based on various parameters and to study the interplay of these parameters.
Another aspect of the typological comparative study of tonal systems is quantitative, it is based on the measurement of tonal density, first formulated by Carlos Gussenhoven (2004), who has however developed a working model of its calculation.
1) The model for analysis of tonal systems: A model for an integral analytical description of tonal systems of individual languages has been developed. This model is presented in the form of Questionnaire for a description of a tonal system which is meant to take into account the inventory of tonal units (tonemes), their characteristics and paradigmatics; tonotactics; interface “tone-stress”; tonal processes; grammatical tonal morphemes; tonal classes of words; interaction between tones and segmental phonology; tone and prosodic hierarchy.
2) Parametrization of tonal systems: A set of 33 parameters have been visualized on the ThoT Database site, https://thot.huma-num.fr/db/features(opens in new window). Further parameters will be added to the list as new information becomes available.
3) Notions and terminology: A new terminology and innovative system of notions was developed. The central notion is toneme, which is a basic unit of tonology distinguishing lexical and/or grammatical meanings. The inventory of tonemes in each tonal language is established using a fixed set of criteria. Other key notions are tonal processes and grammatical tonal morphemes. Their classification and parametrization is yet another direction in the typological study of tones.
4) Analytical reports on individual tonal systems: Analytical reports are presented in a format which allows an easy access to the parameters of the tonal system. To date, analytical reports for 10 languages have been completed, 12 more are in the editing stage, and 7 are in progress.
5) Annotated texts and statistical data on tones: A standard annotation format marking the boundaries of tonal spans, morphemes, prosodic units (morae, syllables, feet, prosodic words, tonal phrases) has been developed. This annotation allows an automatic calculation of the frequency of different tonemes, of grammatical and lexical tones, and of the tonal density.
6) A list of the world's tonal languages was compiled and their tonal statuses were verified, primarily in cooperation with specialists in the languages of various language families. Thus, the tonal status of over 1,700 languages has been verified so far.
7) Database: The ThoT Database has been developed and posted in open access, https://thot.huma-num.fr/db/dashboard(opens in new window). In this database, main results of the work of the ThoT Project appear in a user-friendly format: the tonal status of the languages of the world, in a tabular form, in a language family tree, and with a projection on the map; formalized presentation of characteristics of tonal systems of the languages for which we have full analytical reports; distribution of various parameters of tonal systems by languges.
8) A forthcoming volume: The Project team is preparing a volume for publication in the Language Science Press where main results of the first stage of the ThoT project will be represented. The volume will include 22 chapters dealing with tonal systems of individual languages and 2 general chapters dealing with aspects of methodology of the Project and some typological generalizations. All the chapters have been already submitted and are currently in the process of editing or reviewing. We are planning the publication for the beginning of 2026.
9) Dissemination of the work's results. A workshop attended by over 20 leading tonologists was held in November-December 2023 (Paris). The aim of the workshop was to disseminate the new terminology and research methodology proposed within the project.
Members of the ThoT project team organized the workshop "Unifying the Comparative Analysis of Tonal Systems" at the 58th Annual Meeting of the European Linguistic Society in Bordeaux on August 26-29, 2025.
Open seminars have been held since March 2024. Since they are held in a hybrid format, they are accessible to the general public, and video recordings are posted online.
ThoT project team members made nine presentations outlining the results of their work in the frames of the project at major scientific events.
2) Parametrization of tonal systems: A set of 33 parameters have been visualized on the ThoT Database site, https://thot.huma-num.fr/db/features(opens in new window). Further parameters will be added to the list as new information becomes available.
3) Notions and terminology: A new terminology and innovative system of notions was developed. The central notion is toneme, which is a basic unit of tonology distinguishing lexical and/or grammatical meanings. The inventory of tonemes in each tonal language is established using a fixed set of criteria. Other key notions are tonal processes and grammatical tonal morphemes. Their classification and parametrization is yet another direction in the typological study of tones.
4) Analytical reports on individual tonal systems: Analytical reports are presented in a format which allows an easy access to the parameters of the tonal system. To date, analytical reports for 10 languages have been completed, 12 more are in the editing stage, and 7 are in progress.
5) Annotated texts and statistical data on tones: A standard annotation format marking the boundaries of tonal spans, morphemes, prosodic units (morae, syllables, feet, prosodic words, tonal phrases) has been developed. This annotation allows an automatic calculation of the frequency of different tonemes, of grammatical and lexical tones, and of the tonal density.
6) A list of the world's tonal languages was compiled and their tonal statuses were verified, primarily in cooperation with specialists in the languages of various language families. Thus, the tonal status of over 1,700 languages has been verified so far.
7) Database: The ThoT Database has been developed and posted in open access, https://thot.huma-num.fr/db/dashboard(opens in new window). In this database, main results of the work of the ThoT Project appear in a user-friendly format: the tonal status of the languages of the world, in a tabular form, in a language family tree, and with a projection on the map; formalized presentation of characteristics of tonal systems of the languages for which we have full analytical reports; distribution of various parameters of tonal systems by languges.
8) A forthcoming volume: The Project team is preparing a volume for publication in the Language Science Press where main results of the first stage of the ThoT project will be represented. The volume will include 22 chapters dealing with tonal systems of individual languages and 2 general chapters dealing with aspects of methodology of the Project and some typological generalizations. All the chapters have been already submitted and are currently in the process of editing or reviewing. We are planning the publication for the beginning of 2026.
9) Dissemination of the work's results. A workshop attended by over 20 leading tonologists was held in November-December 2023 (Paris). The aim of the workshop was to disseminate the new terminology and research methodology proposed within the project.
Members of the ThoT project team organized the workshop "Unifying the Comparative Analysis of Tonal Systems" at the 58th Annual Meeting of the European Linguistic Society in Bordeaux on August 26-29, 2025.
Open seminars have been held since March 2024. Since they are held in a hybrid format, they are accessible to the general public, and video recordings are posted online.
ThoT project team members made nine presentations outlining the results of their work in the frames of the project at major scientific events.
An important step to a theoretically and methodologically sound typology of linguistic tone has been made. A theoretical and methodological base has been developed that allows for logical and consistent identification of significant tonal units, as well as tonal processes in prosodic systems of different types, related to different linguistic areas (Africa, Southeast Asia, Mesoamerica, New Guinea, etc.).
The precise definition of toneme and specification of its surface realization, tonal span, open the way to the measurement of the tonal density. In the model developed within the framework of the ThoT Project, the tonal density is measured by means of the Tonal Density Index (TDI). The tonal density is a way to quantify the functional load of tone in a language. TDI provides a new dimension in the typological studies of tonal systems.
This approach allows the quantification of parameters of tonal systems and paves the way for their quantitative comparison.
The precise definition of toneme and specification of its surface realization, tonal span, open the way to the measurement of the tonal density. In the model developed within the framework of the ThoT Project, the tonal density is measured by means of the Tonal Density Index (TDI). The tonal density is a way to quantify the functional load of tone in a language. TDI provides a new dimension in the typological studies of tonal systems.
This approach allows the quantification of parameters of tonal systems and paves the way for their quantitative comparison.