The Case for Eight Igbo Tones

Abstract

Despite research findings to the contrary, many still regard Igbo as a two-tone language, with some recognizing an additional third tone. However, this simplified two-tone system (or two-plus-one system) does not tell the full story of Igbo tones or reflect all the research in Igbo linguistics. Tone testing using a soundboard reveals eight tones (four long and four short ones) which occur in the default pronunciation of common Igbo words and which every Igbo speaker uses frequently. An eight-tone system for individual words better explains the complexity of Igbo tonality and reveals interesting possibilities about the evolution of the Igbo language and its relationship with other tonal languages, such as Chinese.