In Quest of the Correct Tone of “Ton” in “Tonzang”: Is It [ˊtɒn] or [ˋtɒn]? By Taang Zomi

Attachment:
In Quest of the Correct Tone of Ton in Tonzang.pdf  (165.2KB)
Please read the attached PDF rather than the text in this email.
==
Table of Contents
In Quest of the Correct Tone of “Ton” in “Tonzang”: Is It [ˊtɒn] or...                                                                                                                      2
By Taang Zomi                                                                                                        2
Rule 0x (in Notation): T1 (Verb) → T4 (Non) / — T3                                                    3
Rule 0x (in Notation): T3 (Verb) → T4 (Noun) / ― T3                                                   4
Rule 0x (in Notation): T3 (Verb) → T4 (Noun) / ― T3                                                   5
Rule 03 (in Notation): T4 → T2 / T1 ―                                                                       6
Rule 07 (in Notation):T4 → T2 / T3 —                                                                       7
Some Conventions Adopted                                                                      10
BIBLIOGRAPHY                                                                                           11
==
Tedim Zomi Tonology

In Quest of the Correct Tone of “Ton” in “Tonzang”: Is It [ˊtɒn] or [ˋtɒn]?

By Taang Zomi

1. Preface: I wish to express my gratitude to Sia Simon Thang Lam Lian (Decatur, GA), Lia Margaret Vung Seen Luan (Decatur, GA), Tg. Zam Mun Mung (Gainesville, GA), Tg. Khup Hau Mang (Clarkston, GA), Tg. Mang Lian Pau, Stone Mountain, GA, Tg. Khup Khan Thang, Norman, OK, and Sia Tg. Nang Suan Thang, for providing me with whatever information I needed for my quest for the correct tone of Tonzang.
2. I published “Tone Sandhi in Tedim Zomi Toponyms” in some Zomi discussion groups on 03 JAN 2013 THU.
a href="http://fuller.academia.edu/PauThang" target="_blank">http://fuller.academia.edu/PauThang>
3. In that paper, I wrote that the surface tones of Ton (tonn), T1: [ˊtɒn] and Zang (zaang), T3:[¯zɑːŋ] in Tonzang are derived from the underlying tones of Ton (tonn), T1: /ˊtɒn/ and Zang (zaang), T3: /¯zɑːŋ/. See §1.05, #19 for the reproduction of that rule application.

(1.05) T1 (Verb) + T3 = T1 (Verb).T3

Sr No
T1 (Verb) /ˊ/
+
T3 /ˉ/
=
T1 (Verb).T3 [ˊ.ˉ]
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
18
Tomm/ˊtɒm/
+
Phaai /ˉpʰɑːi/
=
Tomphai (Tommphaai) [ˊtɒm.ˉpʰɑːi]
19
Tonn /ˊtɒn/
+
Zaang /ˉzɑːŋ/
=
Tonzang (Tonnzaang) [ˊtɒn.ˉzɑːŋ]
20
Tuui /ˊtuːi/
+
Kaang /ˉkɑːŋ/
+
Tuikang (Tuuikaang) [ˊtuːi.ˉkɑːŋ]
4. Sometime later, in early February, Sia Tg. Simon Thang Lam Lian (Sia Tg. Simon Lamno), Cathechist of ZomiCatholic Family in Atlanta (ZCFA) called me to inform me of his intention to visit me that evening to ask me some questions.
He did not turn up that evening. He said his children were sick.
One evening he did turn up at my residence with his family.
5. He said he was pondering over the correct tone of “ton” in “Tonzang” for quite some time. He said that since “ton” in “Tonzang” comes from “tong” /¯tɒŋ/, the tone of “ton” in Tonzang would be [ˋtɒn] rather than [ˊtɒn]. I told him that if “ton” in “Tonzang” does come from “tong” /¯tɒŋ/, meaning ‘to throw a feast in commemoration of success in harvesting, prosperity, and victory’, then, the correct tone of “ton” will really be [ˋtɒn]1. I told him that I thought at the time of writing my paper that “ton” comes from “ton” [ˊtɒn], meaning ‘to go together, walk together, on the way to the same destination’.
6. He went back home, receiving no firm approval of [ˋtɒn] from me.
7. I asked Lia Margaret Vung Seen Luan (Lia Seenbawi, Mrs. Simon Lamno, Decatur, GA), who hails from Khualaai-Gozaang (and originally from Tunggtuang) what the origin of the name Tonzang is. She confirmed that the name came from the ton feast that was held there at the beginning of its foundation..
I also asked Tg. Zam Mun Mung, Gainesville, GA, who hails from Khuavung-Leisan, and also he confirmed the connection between the ton feast and the name of the village/town.
8. Days after Sia Simon went back home, I was thinking of what would the correct tone of “ton” in “Tonzang” be.
I found out that even if “ton” comes from [ˊtɒn], meaning ‘going together on the way to the same desitination’ the gerund (the verbal noun) would still be [ˋtɒn]. Therefore the surface tone of “ton” would be [ˋtɒn], whether it comes from /ˊtɒn/ or /¯tɒŋ/.
9.1 In contravention of §1.05, #19, /ˊtɒn/ should surface as [ˋtɒn], and should come between §2.02 and §2.03.

[ ] (2.0x) T1 (Verb) + T3 = T4 (Noun).T3

Rule 0x (in Notation): T1 (Verb) → T4 (Noun) / — T3

(in Prose): When a T1 (Verb) precedes a T3, the T1 changes to a T4 (Noun).
Sr No
T1 (Verb) /ˊ/
+
T3 /ˉ/
=
T4 (Noun) .T3 [ˋ.ˉ]
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
01
Tonn /ˊtɒn/
+
Zaang /ˉzɑːŋ/
=
Tonzang (Tonhzaang) [ˋtɒn.ˉzɑːŋ]
9.2 If it came from /¯tɒŋ/, and if the “tong” remained a verb, it would come between #56 and #57 of §1.08.

(1.08) T3 (Verb)+ T3 = T3 (Verb).T3

Sr No
T3 (Verb) /ˉ/
+
T3 /ˉ/
=
T3 (Verb).T3 [ˉ.ˉ]
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
56
Tong /ˉtɒŋ/
+
Siaal /ˉsɪɑːl/
=
Tongsial (Tongsiaal)[ˉtɒŋ.ˉsɪɑːl]
[x]
Tong /ˉtɒŋ/
+
Zaang Zaang/ˉzɑːŋ/
=
Tongzaang [ˉtɒŋ.ˉzɑːŋ]
57
Vong /ˉvɒŋ/
+
Muaal /ˉmʊɑːl/
=
Vongmuaal (Vongmuaal)[ˉvɒŋ.ˉmʊɑːl]
9.3 If ¶9.2 above is permissible, then ¶3 will also be permissible. If ¶9.2 is impermissible, then ¶3 will also be impermissible. They stand or fall together. This needs further research.
9.4 If it came from /¯tɒŋ/, which surfaces as a gerund (a verbal noun) [ˋtɒn], it would be between §2.06 and §2.07: T3 (Verb) + T3 = T4 (Noun).T3

[ ] (2.0x) T3 (Verb) + T3 = T4 (Noun).T3

Rule 0x (in Notation): T3 (Verb) → T4 (Noun) / ― T3

(in Prose): When a T3 of a verb becomes a gerund (a verbal noun), the T3 becomes a T4.
Sr No
T3 (Verb) /ˉ/
+
T3 /ˉ/
=
T4 (Noun).T3 [ˆ.ˉ]
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
[x]
Tong /ˉtɒŋ/
+
Zaang /ˉzɑːŋ/
=
Tonhzaang [ˋtɒn.ˉzɑːŋ]
10.1 The same is true of Laamzaang.

[ ] (2.0x) T3 (Verb) + T3 = T4 (Noun).T3

Rule 0x (in Notation): T3 (Verb) → T4 (Noun) / ― T3

(in Prose): When a T3 of a verb becomes a gerund (a verbal noun), the T3 becomes a T4.
Sr No
T3 (Verb) /ˉ/
+
T3 /ˉ/
=
T4 (Noun).T3 [ˆ.ˉ]
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
06
Laam /ˉlɑːm/
+
Zaang /ˉzɑːŋ/
=
Laamhzaang [ˋlɑːm.ˉzɑːŋ]
10.2 10.1 can be seen also in §1.10, #06 of the paper “Tone Sadhi in Tedim Zomi Toponyms”.

(1.10) T4 + T3 = T4.T3

Sr No
T4 /ˋ/
+
T3 /ˉ/
=
T4.T3 [ˋ.ˉ]
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
06
Laamh /ˋlɑːm/
+
Zaang /ˉzɑːŋ/
=
Lamzang (Laamhzaang) [ˋlɑːm.ˉzɑːŋ]
10.3 We can easily put Tonhzaang after Laamhzaang,

(1.10) T4 + T3 = T4.T3 (continued)

Sr No
T4 /ˋ/
+
1.T3 /ˉ/
=
T4.T3 [ˋ.ˉ]
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
06
Laamh /ˋlɑːm/
+
Zaang /ˉzɑːŋ/
=
Lamzang (Laamhzaang) [ˋlɑːm.ˉzɑːŋ]
[x]
Ton /ˋtɒn/
+
Zaang /ˉzɑːŋ/
=
Tonzang (Tonhzaang) [ˋtɒn.ˉzɑːŋ]
10.4 Now, I have given Sia Simon Lamno my firm approval of [ˋtɒn]. The “Ton” in “Tonzang” could never be [ˊtɒn].
11. There are some other villages whose pronunciation is contrary to the phonological rule of our language.
11.1 One of such cases is that of Thuambual /ˉtʰʊɑːmˉbʊɑːl/. On 27 MAR 2013 WED, I talked with Tg. Khup Hau Mang, Clarkston, GA, who hails from Khampat (and originally from Thuambual). He said the village was established near a thuam tree (a thin small tree whose flowers have sweet nectar, which draws birds to the tree.) Thuam seems to be similar to phihtu /ˋpʰɪɬɪʔtuː/. Thuam is pronounced [ˊtʰʊɑːm], just like “thuam” in “Thuamvum” /ˊtʰʊɑːmˋvuːm/ → [ˊtʰʊɑːmˆvuːm] (Kennedy Peak). The thuam stood near a bual [ˋbʊɑːl] (a lake). Therefore the founders of the village took the name from the thuam and the lake, calling it Thuambual /ˉtʰʊɑːmˉbʊɑːl/. Actually they should have called it [ˊtʰʊɑːmˆbʊɑːl]
This should come between #09 and #10. of §2.03

(2.03) T1+ T4 = T1.T2

Rule 03 (in Notation): T4 → T2 / T1 ―

(in Prose): When T1 precedes a T4, the T4 becomes a T2.

Views: 94

Comment

You need to be a member of Zomi Community Network - Your Network to add comments!

Join Zomi Community Network - Your Network

© 2024   Created by Zomi Community Network.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service