Categoricity, Variation, and Gradience in Sambla Balafon Segmental Encoding

Abstract

This paper analyzes the musical surrogate encoding of Seenku (Mande, Burkina Faso) syllable structure on the balafon, a resonator xylophone used by the Sambla ethnicity. The elements of syllable structure that are encoded include vowel length, sesquisyllabicity, diphthongs, and nasal codas. Certain elements, like vowel length and sesquisyllabicity, involve categorical encoding through conscious rules of surrogate speech, while others, like diphthongs and nasal codas, vary between being treated as simple or complex. Beyond these categorical encodings, subtler aspects of rhythmic structure find their way into the speech surrogate through durational differences; these include duration differences from phonemic distinctions like vowel length in addition to subphonemic differences due to phrasal position. I argue that these subconscious durational differences arise from a “phonetic filter”, which mediates between the musician’s inner voice and their non-verbal behavior. Specifically, syllables encoded on the balafon may be timed according to the perceptual center (p-center) of natural spoken rhythm, pointing to a degree of phonetic detail in a musician’s inner speech.

Syllable weight and natural duration in textsetting popular music in English

“…Likewise, Seifart et al (2018) find that the drum strikes used to imitate the tone and rhythm of the Amazonian language Bora approximate the intervals between vowels rather than syllables. McPherson (2021) finds the same for the xylophone surrogate of Seenku.…”

“…For example, Hayes & Schuh (2019: 284–93) model the durations with which syllables are sung in Hausa, but the model takes as inputs only discrete moras and syllables, not natural duration. McPherson (2021: 11–14) goes further, finding that performative duration in Seenku is affected by gradient prosodic effects such as phonetic closed-syllable shortening. Finally, Gilroy (2021) reports two experiments with 87 participants that test whether vowel tenseness and coda voicing influence textsetting in English.…”

“…Ross & Lehiste 2011 on Estonian; Proto & Dell 2013: 9–10 on Italian; Kiparsky 2020 on Urdu, among others); it is also found in English, as discussed presently. McPherson (2021) analyzes a xylophone surrogate of Seenku (Mande) in which syllable weight is mapped onto musical articulation: heavy syllables such as CV are flammed (double-struck), unlike light syllables such as level-toned CV̆ 3…”

“… 3 Any syllable with a contour tone is flammed. Syllables ending with diphthongs or nasal codas are usually unflammed, but vary (McPherson 2021). …”

Linguistic roles of surrogate language in the select literary texts

“…Hudu (2021) maintains that the use of talking drum and double bell produce speechless which can only be understood by specialists. McPherson (2021) analyses the surrogate language balafon emits. Durojaye, Knowles, Patten, Garcia and McBeath (2021) aver that dùndùn is a musical instrument in south-west of Nigerian and it fits as a 'speech surrogate in Africa.…”