Scientific-Linguistic Framework: Identification of Tonal Relations

Abstract

This study establishes a scientific-linguistic framework to specify tonal relations in Asian tonal languages. Applied to the empirical data from 21 speakers of Zhangzhou Southern Min, this model derives a linguistically tonetic F0 system for its eight-way tonal contrast. This represents this dialect as an independent variety from the scientific perspective while making it comparable with other tonal varieties and languages for typological and universal purposes. The description has gone beyond the inconsistency and inadequacy of those auditorily-based prior studies and laid out an objective foundation for further theoretical exploration. The exploration is expected to serve as a model to examining those tonal languages that possess complex tonal contrasts not only in China but also in Asia and beyond. It contributes vital linguistic data to the generalization of areal characteristics within the Sino-Tibetan language family, but also to the exploration of cross-linguistic tonal property in world’s natural languages, while enlightening the discussion on why and how human beings employ tone as an important language device in their cognitive activities and decode the competence for communicative purposes.