Tone language
A tone language is a language where pitch contributes to the meaning of words. Changing the pitch of a word can drastically change its meaning. Tone languages can be categorized into two types: Type A tone languages, usually found in Asian languages, employ tone lexically and in minor morphological patterns. Type B tone languages, usually found in African and Mesoamerican languages, use tone to make major morphological distinctions in addition to Type A functions. The interaction between speech melody and song melody in tone languages has been a topic of interest for scholars. Some assumptions suggest that speech melodies dictate song melodies, but evidence suggests that music in tone languages can override linguistic requirements. The role of segmental morphology plays a significant role in driving tone language type change.
A language in which the same series of sounds can represent different meanings, depending on how high or low they are spoken: Chinese is a tone language.
A language (such as Chinese or Zulu) in which variations in tone distinguish words or phrases of different meaning that otherwise would sound alike.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment. (2024). Tone language. Retrieved from http://surl.li/puubg
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). (2024). Tone language. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved from http://surl.li/puufr
PubGenius Inc. (2024). What is a tone language. Retrieved from http://surl.li/puuhw