On the other hand, changes in location of the pitch movement in Javanese speech should have no effect on the judgements of Javanese listeners and only marginal effects on Batak listeners. We predict that the Javanese group will consider such stresses to be acceptable in both their own speech and the Toba Batak speech. If this prediction bears out, a strong case can be made for the absence of metrical rules in the Indonesian language. Our predictions were tested in a perception experiment by manipulation of the stress positions in 8 words taken from both speakers. The results we will present show that variation in stress position supports our hypothesis.
Indonesian stress does seem to be phrasal.
Possibly the only phonological rule that is relevant for accent location in Indonesian states that there must be a boundary tone somewhere at the right edge of the phrase. Our conclusion is that there is good reason to look at Cohn's stress rule with some caution. Only careful experimental methodology can reveal the truth in such cases. In this respect we feel that a healthy dosage of caution must also be exercised in the usage of descriptive sources that are not based on proper experimental methodology. A theory of pitch accents in English.