Contour tone

· from English

What is a contour tone?

A contour tone is a tone defined by pitch movement within the syllable, such as rising, falling or dipping, rather than by a flat pitch level.

Contour tones are described by where the pitch starts and ends. Mandarin tones 2, 3 and 4 are contour tones (rising 35, dipping 214, falling 51), while tone 1 is level. Vietnamese and Thai also combine level and contour tones, and Vietnamese adds voice quality such as creakiness on some tones.

Examples

麻 má (rising, 35); 馬 mǎ (dipping, 214); 罵 mà (falling, 51); Vietnamese hỏi tone: hỏi (to ask)

Kungfucius says: If your voice stays flat, it is not a contour tone, it is a monotone.