Phonetic and respiratory prosodic analysis of Cantonese Song Ci chanting

This study examines the prosodic coordination between phonetics and respiration in Cantonese Song Ci chanting through hierarchical analysis of rhythmic structures. The investigation identifies a dual-phase respiratory reset mechanism: primary resets precede minor syntactic units, while secondary results occur at intra-clausal divisions. The prosodic architecture demonstrates a four-tiered hierarchy comprising prosodic sentence groups, phrases, metrical feet, and syllables. Empirical analysis reveals that verses exceeding three characters autonomously constitute prosodic sentences, whereas tri- to pentasyllabic units necessitate respiratory coordination for phrase boundary demarcation. A key finding reveals that hexa- and heptasyllabic clauses exhibit marked prosodic discontinuities following the fourth character, serving as critical boundary markers. These findings reveal mechanistic linkages between pulmonary kinematics and vocal prosody, elucidating the biomechanical basis of Cantonese Ci recitation as a vocal-performing tradition.