ABSTRACT
Twi. m m om [ * # • ] rather amfa [ # * ] he did not take
Noho. mboa [ * * # ] house mba [ . ' ] dog Efik. mkpa [ # • ] death m m ai) [ # * ] water Duala. mbati [ # * * ] clothing Kru. dza m ni [ * ] bring me water
346. Length and stress, together with pitch or intonation, are often termed sound a ttrib u tes : they are elements added to the sounds composing words and syllables and are of consider able importance in every language. They may be ‘significant’, in th a t meaning is dependent upon them, and even where no semantic value is involved, a correct use of these attributes is essential if the characteristic ‘ accent ’ of the language is not to be lost. Intonation, which is specially im portant in a large number of African languages, is treated in Chapter XXIV. Stress.
