@article{SwertsZerbian2010,
  author    = {Swerts, Marc and Zerbian, Sabine},
  title     = {Intonational differences between L1 and L2 english in South Africa},
  issn      = {0031-8388},
  doi       = {10.1159/000321052},
  year      = {2010},
  abstract  = {Previous studies have shown that characteristics of a person's first language (L1) may transfer to a second language (L2). The current study looks at the extent to which this holds for aspects of intonation as well. More specifically, we investigate to what extent traces of the L1 can be discerned in the way intonation is used in the L2 for two functions: (1) to highlight certain words by making them sound more prominent and (2) to signal continuation or finality in a list by manipulating the speech melody. To this end, the article presents an explorative study into the way focus and boundaries are marked prosodically in Zulu, and it also compares such prosodic functions in two variants of English in South Africa, i.e., English spoken as an L1, and English spoken as an L2/additional language by speakers who have Zulu as their L1. The latter language is commonly referred to as Black South African English. This comparison is interesting from a typological perspective, as Zulu is intonationally different from English, especially in the way prosody is exploited for signalling informationally important stretches of speech. Using a specific elicitation procedure, we found in a first study that speakers of South African English (as L1) mark focused words and position within a list by intonational means, just as in other L1 varieties of English, whereas Zulu only uses intonation for marking continuity or finality. A second study focused on speakers of Black South African English, and compared the prosody of proficient versus less proficient speakers. We found that the proficient speakers were perceptually equivalent to L1 speakers of English in their use of intonation for marking focus and boundaries. The less proficient speakers marked boundaries in a similar way as L1 speakers of English, but did not use prosody for signalling focus, analogous to what is typical of their native language. Acoustic observations match these perceptual results.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{ZerbianDowningKuegler2009,
  author    = {Zerbian, Sabine and Downing, Laura and K{\"u}gler, Frank},
  title     = {Introduction : tone and intonation from a typological perspective},
  issn      = {0024-3841},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.lingua.2007.10.024},
  year      = {2009},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{ZerbianBarnard2010,
  author    = {Zerbian, Sabine and Barnard, Etienne},
  title     = {Realisation of two adjacent high tones : Acoustic evidence from Northern Sotho},
  issn      = {1607-3614},
  doi       = {10.2989/16073614.2010.519099},
  year      = {2010},
  abstract  = {We present findings of a multi-speaker production study that was undertaken to investigate the realisation of two adjacent high tones within the verb word in Northern Sotho, a Southern Bantu language. Experimental tokens are selected to ensure that the high tones originate from different combinations of morphosyntactic constituents. It is found that the morphosyntactic constituency determines how the adjacent high tones are realised. When both high tones originate within either the inflectional stem or the macrostem constituents, a single pitch peak is realised. Additionally, when the macrostem contains two high tones, the tone of the object concord is absorbed into the stem. Two adjacent high tones, of which one stems from the inflectional stem and the other from the macrostem, produce two pitch peaks, with the latter of the two delayed in order to satisfy the Obligatory Contour Principle. These generalisations are supported by acoustic data. A set of rules is formulated that describes the surface realisation of adjacent high tones in the verbal domain of Northern Sotho (with the exception of one unresolved issue).},
  language  = {en}
}
@misc{Zerbian2012,
  author    = {Zerbian, Sabine},
  title     = {Variation in the grammar of black south African English},
  series = {Southern African linguistics and applied language studies},
  volume    = {30},
  journal   = {Southern African linguistics and applied language studies},
  number    = {1},
  publisher = {NISC},
  address   = {Grahamstown},
  issn      = {1607-3614},
  doi       = {10.2989/16073614.2012.693721},
  pages     = {131 -- 135},
  year      = {2012},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{Zerbian2013,
  author    = {Zerbian, Sabine},
  title     = {Prosodic marking of narrow focus across varieties of South African English},
  series = {English world-wide : a journal of varieties of English},
  volume    = {34},
  journal   = {English world-wide : a journal of varieties of English},
  number    = {1},
  publisher = {Benjamins},
  address   = {Amsterdam},
  issn      = {0172-8865},
  doi       = {10.1075/eww.34.1.02zer},
  pages     = {26 -- 47},
  year      = {2013},
  abstract  = {This paper reports on an elicited production study which investigates prosodic marking of narrow focus in modified noun phrases in varieties of South African English. The acoustic analysis of fundamental frequency, intensity, and duration in narrow focus is presented and discussed. The results suggest that these three acoustic parameters are manipulated differently in narrow focus in the varieties of English as a Second Language as compared to General South African English. The article compares the results to what is known about prosodic marking of information structure in other varieties of English as a Second Language and underlines the necessity of carefully controlled data in the investigation of phonological and phonetic variation in varieties of English.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{GueldemannZerbianZimmermann2015,
  author    = {Gueldemann, Tom and Zerbian, Sabine and Zimmermann, Malte},
  title     = {Variation in information structure with special reference to Africa},
  series = {Annual review of linguistics},
  volume    = {1},
  journal   = {Annual review of linguistics},
  editor    = {Liberman, M and Partee, BH},
  publisher = {Annual Reviews},
  address   = {Palo Alto},
  isbn      = {978-0-8243-4201-2},
  issn      = {2333-9691},
  doi       = {10.1146/annurev-linguist-030514-125134},
  pages     = {155 -- 178},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {Information structure has been one of the central topics of recent linguistic research. This review discusses a wide range of current approaches with particular reference to African languages, as these have been playing a crucial role in advancing our knowledge about the diversity of and recurring patterns in both meaning and form of information structural notions. We focus on cross-linguistic functional frameworks, the investigation of prosody, formal syntactic theories, and relevant effects of semantic interpretation. Information structure is a thriving research domain that promises to yield important advances in our general understanding of human language.},
  language  = {en}
}