Tone: Difference between revisions

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(This is in contrast to '''lexical tone''', like in Chinese: there, when you change the tone of a syllable, it becomes a different word (lexeme) entirely. For example 西 xı̄ “west” → 媳 xí “daughter-in-law”.)
(This is in contrast to '''lexical tone''', like in Chinese: there, when you change the tone of a syllable, it becomes a different word (lexeme) entirely. For example 西 xı̄ “west” → 媳 xí “daughter-in-law”.)


== Verb tones ==
== Tones ==
[WIP]
 
==Toaq Gamma==
Tones worked ''quite'' differently back in Toaq Gamma.
 
=== Verb tones ===
Every verb can be "conjugated" into one of six tones, each of which expresses some grammatical function:
Every verb can be "conjugated" into one of six tones, each of which expresses some grammatical function:


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Sometimes people will say “the fifth tone” or “t5” instead of “the rising-falling tone”.
Sometimes people will say “the fifth tone” or “t5” instead of “the rising-falling tone”.


=== Possible new tone scheme ===
==== Possible new tone scheme ====
''Main Article: [[Main verb tone]]''
''Main Article: [[Main verb tone]]''


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# {{tone|3old}} — allotone of {{tone|6}}
# {{tone|3old}} — allotone of {{tone|6}}


== Neutral tone ==
=== Neutral tone ===
Particles, on the other hand, are in the '''neutral tone''' {{tone|8}} (aka the 8th tone), which is not really a tone. The only rule is that you don't continue the contour of the previous tone. So, when saying a particle after the falling tone {{tone|4}}, you should go up in pitch to break the falling contour. This way, the listener can tell the difference between {{t|lẻ moq}} and {{t|lẻmoq}}.
Particles, on the other hand, are in the '''neutral tone''' {{tone|8}} (aka the 8th tone), which is not really a tone. The only rule is that you don't continue the contour of the previous tone. So, when saying a particle after the falling tone {{tone|4}}, you should go up in pitch to break the falling contour. This way, the listener can tell the difference between {{t|lẻ moq}} and {{t|lẻmoq}}.


== Lexical tone ==
=== History ===
There used to be a '''flat tone''' {{tone|1}}, which marked the continuation of a multisyllable word. But now, the tone contour is spread out over the whole word. This was tone #1, but now it is gone. So we start counting from #2, because it would be more confusing to re-number them.
 
The rising-creaky tone {{tone|3}} used to be dipping {{tone|3old}}, and {{tone|7}} was just “creaky”.== Lexical tone ==
Toaq actually does have a little bit of lexical tone. For example, {{t|moq}} (question marker) and {{t|môq}} (rhetorical question marker) are different lexemes.
Toaq actually does have a little bit of lexical tone. For example, {{t|moq}} (question marker) and {{t|môq}} (rhetorical question marker) are different lexemes.


More subtly, {{t|lâ}} is not {{Tone|5}} + {{t|lả}}. Rather, each of {{Tone|5}} and {{t|lả}} is a complementizer in its own right. So really {{t|lâ}} is also its own complementizer, of which {{Tone|5}} is an allomorph.
More subtly, {{t|lâ}} is not {{Tone|5}} + {{t|lả}}. Rather, each of {{Tone|5}} and {{t|lả}} is a complementizer in its own right. So really {{t|lâ}} is also its own complementizer, of which {{Tone|5}} is an allomorph.
== History ==
There used to be a '''flat tone''' {{tone|1}}, which marked the continuation of a multisyllable word. But now, the tone contour is spread out over the whole word. This was tone #1, but now it is gone. So we start counting from #2, because it would be more confusing to re-number them.
The rising-creaky tone {{tone|3}} used to be dipping {{tone|3old}}, and {{tone|7}} was just “creaky”.


== External links ==
== External links ==
* [https://toaq.net/refgram/02/ Refgram: symbols and sounds]
* [https://toaq.net/refgram/02/ Refgram: symbols and sounds]
* [https://toaq.net/refgram/03/ Refgram: phonology]
* [https://toaq.net/refgram/03/ Refgram: phonology]