Downdrift

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In phonetics, downdrift is the cumulative lowering of pitch over time due to interactions among tones, called downstep, in a tonal language. It is distinct from the general lowering of the pitch during prosodic contours of a tonal or non-tonal language.

Two basic types of downdrift are found. In one, called discrete downdrift, when downstep occurs all tones shift downward, so that their relative difference in pitch remains constant; in the other, called tone terracing, the pitch of the low tone remains at the lower end of the speaker's vocal range, while the other tones shift downward, so that their difference in pitch narrows.

It is very common for only the low tone to cause a downstep in pitch, whether the result is that all tones, including subsequent low tones, are downstepped, or whether only non-low tones are.

Pitch reset is required in the first instance because the tones approach the lower end of the speaker's comfort range, and in the second because the tonal distinctions of the language start being lost.

External links

Downdrift, Downstep, and Declination (Bruce Connell, 2001)

v t e Suprasegmentals

Timing	Syllable Mora Metrical foot Vowel reduction

Tone	Tone contour Pitch accent Register Downstep Upstep Downdrift Tone terracing Floating tone Tone sandhi Tone letter

Stress	Secondary stress Vowel reduction

Length	Chroneme Gemination Vowel length Extra-short

Prosody	Intonation (pitch) Pitch contour Pitch reset Stress Rhythm Loudness Prosodic unit Pausa

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