When you browse through introductions of many languages, you would come across terms such as 'tonal language' and 'pitch-accent language' used to describe some of these languages. For instance, the Chinese languages are among the most well-known tonal languages, while Japanese is amongst the most well-known pitch-accent languages. Furthermore, there are some languages that appear … Continue reading What even are ‘pitch-accent’ languages? (Setting the stage)
tonal language
The languages that mark case using tone
When we want to express how a certain noun or noun phrase is related to another noun or noun phrase in a sentence, perhaps even with the involvement of an action, we use different methods to express such a relationship in our languages. Some languages do not modify the arguments, instead using a more rigid … Continue reading The languages that mark case using tone
Which language has the most tones?
This question sounds easy and simple, but the real answer has many more layers to it. Tonal languages are languages where words can differ in meaning in tone or tone changes, in addition to consonants and vowels. There are probably at least a couple thousand of tonal languages in the world, each with differing complexity, … Continue reading Which language has the most tones?
That time when a language was constructed based on music
Music is an interesting language. With various notation systems, and with or without vocal input, music has evolved to serve as a mode of expression. It has been used to construct settings, convey moods, and set an atmosphere for whichever scene the composer and musicians desire to create. The typical octave has a total of … Continue reading That time when a language was constructed based on music
How did we get tones in Mandarin Chinese?
There are a bunch of tonal languages spoken throughout the world, but by a large margin, Mandarin Chinese comes up at the top in terms of number of native speakers. But its size or scope of usage is not the focus of our discussion today. One thing that intrigues me is the history of the … Continue reading How did we get tones in Mandarin Chinese?
Writing in Africa — Mende Kikakui
Sierra Leone, like many places in West Africa, is diverse. It contains at least 15 spoken languages, plus English, but more commonly spoken as a form of creole known as Krio. While Krio is spoken by the vast majority of Sierra Leoneans, in the southern region of the country, exists a regional lingua franca, spoken … Continue reading Writing in Africa — Mende Kikakui
Language and Ecology — Distribution of Tonal Languages
Previously, we looked at the ecological drivers behind global patterns and distribution of language diversity. On a global scale, language diversity increases towards the equator, and the tropics are found to be more language dense. To explain these patterns from an ecological perspective, it was proposed that ecological risk played a more significant role than … Continue reading Language and Ecology — Distribution of Tonal Languages
The Language Closet 