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Tone

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A language-specific pitch pattern on a syllable or word that can distinguish meaning.

In precise terms

Tone is the phonological use of pitch on syllables or words to distinguish lexical meanings or grammatical forms. Level tones maintain a relatively stable pitch target, while contour tones change direction; tone is distinct from phrase- or sentence-level intonation even though the systems can interact.

An example

[V˥] highest · [V˧] middle · [V˩] lowest (schematic)

What is going on here

The three IPA tone letters shown mark the top, middle and bottom of a five-step relative pitch scale. They do not represent three universal frequencies, so the same physical pitch can be interpreted differently in another context or voice range.

Why this matters when you are learning a language

In a tonal language, learning only the consonants and vowels leaves part of the word unspecified. Tone needs to be learned and practised with the syllable it belongs to, while intonation still operates across the larger utterance.

Across languages

Tone systems range from two level categories to inventories with additional levels and rising or falling contours. Languages differ in how tone is distributed and how it interacts with stress and intonation; the labels high and low are always relative to the system and speaker.

Related terms

  • SyllableAdvanced — A sound unit organised around a central peak, with optional sounds before or after it.
  • PhonemeAdvanced — A sound unit that can change one word into another in a given language.
  • Minimal pairAdvanced — Two words or signs with different meanings that differ in exactly one sound or sign parameter.
  • StressAdvanced — Extra prominence given to one syllable relative to nearby syllables.

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