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In the tokens I examined, then, I found two distinct patterns. First, two-thirds of
the implosives exhibited a rising amplitude during the second half of the period of
closure. In these tokens, the voicing was nearly always modal. Second, one-third of the
implosives exhibited a large, level amplitude during the period of closure. In these
tokens, a biphasic pattern indicative of laryngealization was usually evident.
The third acoustic property of Mono implosives to be discussed is voicelessness.
A small percentage of the implosives in my data show voicelessness during the period of
closure. Figure 8.21 shows a waveform of the word ( ( ( (
‘to hit’. Here, voicing tapers
off at the beginning of the closure to the extent that it ceases in the middle of closure.
Then, this is followed by a period of increase in signal amplitude before the release of the
implosive. This is similar to the production of some of the Hausa speakers recorded by
Lindau.
Figure 8.21: Waveform of the word ( ( ( (
‘to hit’ (Speaker K).
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