Depressing Melodies: Consonants and Tone in Zulu Song

Abstract

Depression refers to the involuntary lowering of pitch in vocal utterances, and is an important constraint on singing in the Nguni languages of southeast Africa. This study considers how speech tone and intonation shape pitch patterning and melody in Zulu speech and song. Using phonetic description and analysis in Praat, the study shows how depressor consonants—which consist of voiced stops, fricatives, and clicks—have a tone-lowering effect on vowels, and condition glides. Other factors depressing melodies are falling tone, downdrift intonation and final cadence. The analysis is based on two traditional songs recorded in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.