Pitch accent with particle も

H

Hubert Hung

後輩

9 Aug 2017

31

0

• 3 Oct 2017

• #1

I'm not sure if I misheard from anime or not, but I feel like for some certain words, added mo, would change their pitch accent.

For instance,
何 and 何も... ((i.e. 何もいない)
誰 and 誰も... (i.e. 誰もいない)

This might sound like an odd question to ask. So does pitch accent change with も?

 

Takichan

Registered

9 Aug 2017

13

4

• 3 Oct 2017

• #2

could you describe the pitch difference? that would help

 

H

Hubert Hung

後輩

9 Aug 2017

31

0

• 3 Oct 2017

• Thread starter
• #3

何: high, low (na ni)
何も: low, high, high (na ni mo)
誰: high , low (da re)
誰も: low, high, high (da re mo)

Hopefully this makes sense.

 

Toritoribe

松葉解禁

Moderator

Fifteen-year veteran

22 Feb 2008

18,266

4,926

• 4 Oct 2017

• #4

Each pitch accent in standard Japanese is;

何: accent on first syllable
何(something the speaker doesn't want to say directly): flat
何かある: accent on first syllable
何もない: flat
何も(an adverb as in 何もそんなに怒らなくても): accent on first syllable

誰: accent on first syllable
誰かいる: accent on first syllable
誰もいない: flat
誰もが驚いた: accent on first syllable

 

H

Hubert Hung

後輩

9 Aug 2017

31

0

• 4 Oct 2017

• Thread starter
• #5

Thank you for your reply, Toritoribe.

But I'm still kind of confused in exactly what kind of situation should I use a flat tone? When you are not trying to sound assertive?
Also, does this apply to other words besides 誰 and 何?

 

Toritoribe

松葉解禁

Moderator

Fifteen-year veteran

22 Feb 2008

18,266

4,926

• 4 Oct 2017

• #6

The flat-type accent is applied to total negation. When used in set phrases such like the ones in the following examples or with particles other than も, flat (=0) and accent on first syllable (= 1) are both possible even for total negation. どこ and どう have the same accent pattern, too.

何もわからない (0)
何もかもわからない (0 or 1)

誰も知らない (0)
誰も彼も知らない (0 or 1)
誰もが知らない/知っている (1)

どこ (1)
どこ（に）も行かなかった (0)
どこもかしこも (0 or 1)

どう (1)
どう（に）もできない (0)
どうもこうも (0 or 1)
どうしよう？(1)
どうしようもない (0)

 

H

Hubert Hung

後輩

9 Aug 2017

31

0

• 4 Oct 2017

• Thread starter
• #7

Thank you so much for your reply. I think I am getting a hang of it now!