Here's a breakdown:
* Segmental: This refers to the individual sounds of a language, like vowels and consonants.
* Suprasegmental: These are features that overlay or affect multiple segments. They include:
* Stress: The emphasis or prominence given to certain syllables in a word. In Tagalog, stress can change the meaning of a word. For example, "bása" (read) vs. "basà" (wet).
* Tone: The pitch of a syllable, which can differentiate meaning in some languages. Tagalog is not a tone language, but it does use pitch to express emotions or emphasis.
* Intonation: The overall rise and fall of pitch in a sentence, which can convey meaning or express emotions.
* Rhythm: The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a sentence.
* Prosody: The broader study of all these suprasegmental features and their role in conveying meaning and emotion.
In Tagalog, suprasegmental features are crucial for understanding spoken language. They contribute to meaning, emotion, and clarity of communication.