Questions tagged [tonal-languages]
29 questions
2
votes
1 answer
Tonal languages: breath in -or- breath out?
I have a hunch and I'm not sure if it is correct or not: it seems like tonal languages prefer an exhalated pronunciation over an inhalated pronunciation. My original thinking was that it shouldn't make a difference, but that doesn't seem to actually…
Mou某
- 409
- 6
- 15
1
vote
1 answer
Can tonal languages be understood when whispered?
I was wondering recently whether the tonal information is lost in tonal languages like Chinese, when it is whispered. Can Chinese still be understood when whispered?
Dominic van der Zypen
- 225
- 1
- 5
1
vote
2 answers
How much weight do tones carry in differentiating languages/dialects?
Language and dialect distinction is very simple when everything is phonetically different. Do (read:can) tones carry the same weight?
Let's take one extreme: two languages share the same words & grammatical properties, phonetically speaking words…
Mou某
- 409
- 6
- 15