Comparison between two models for prominence perception

In the pitch-level difference (PLD) model proposed by Hermes and Rump (1994), the prominence len! by accent-lending pitch movements is proportional to the pitch-level difference between the vowel nucleus of the accented syllable and the vowel nucleus of the preceding syllable. The pitch level on the lower declination line, or baseline, and the pitch level on the upper declination line, or lopline, are thus regarded as equally important. This assumption was tested against that of an alternative model stating that only pilch levels on the loplines of the stimuli contribute to prominence. Results were somewhere in between the predictions of the two models, though closer to the predictions of the high-level (H) model. It is concluded that the PLD model makes too strong claims about the relevance of the position of the low pitch level. Higher pitch levels are more important than lower pitch levels, although pitch levels on the baselines do playa significant role