The .pro format

Files of type .pro (to be found in /data/annot/text/pro1/ and /data/annot/text/pro2/) comprise the prosodic annotation, which is based on the orthographic transcription in the .ort file. The .pro files are in ShortTextGrid format and can be produced, changed or viewed by means of the PRAAT software. For a description of the ShortTextGrid format, see the description of the .ort format. The format contains time markers that are independent of the time markers in the orthographic transcription. For each speaker exactly one tier is envisaged. The tier name is the same as the speaker code. As opposed to the .ort file the .pro file does not have a COMMENT or BACKGROUND tier. For each .pro file there is also an XML variant in the so-called .prx format. These files can be found in /data/annot/xml/prx1/ and /data/annot/xml/prx2/.

Apart from the characters and symbols that are used in the .ort format in the prosodic transcription use is made of an extra symbol set to indicate prosodic phenomena:

|| Represents a strong break. ja dat weet ik || maar wanneer
ik ben bij de politie||commissaris ontboden
| Represents a weak break. jan | en ook piet
dit is werkelijk on|ge|looflijk
^ The vowel part of a prominent syllable is indicated by the '^'-symbol on either side. ^i^k ben thuis
het is ^eeu^wen gel^e^den
% An unusual lengthening of a sound, without giving prominence to the syllable, is indicated by means of the percentage symbol ('%'). %ja% || maar dat is verk^ee^rd
hij is pas viere%n%d^e^rtig

Strong and weak breaks ('|' and '||' resp.) are enclosed between blank spaces unless they occur word-internally.

For a more detailed description of the .pro format see the Protocol voor de prosodische annotatie (Martens 2002); here available in .ps and .pdf format (Dutch only).