ABSTRACT
Every accent contains shifts for some, but not necessarily all, of these elements of vocal variety. Follow the 'musical notes' up and down to get a feel for the melody of the accent. For those who are musically inclined, think of them as approximating quarter notes and half notes. This distinction will give you a feel for the rhythm of the accent. There is an easy rise and fall in the melody, sometimes accompanied by internal lilts within words. Because vowels in Kenyan are rarely pronounced in their weak form, weak syllables are often stressed through lengthening of the vowel and changing the pitch. There is a full chest resonance that travels up into the middle of the hard palate, and on into the lidded metal disk resonator in the skull. You can hear these characteristics very clearly in Juliana speaking Dholuo and in all of the speakers as they speak English.
