tonal language
[/ˈtoʊnəl ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/]
nounpl: tonal languages
língua tonal
1. A language in which pitch, intonation, or tone contour of a word or syllable is phonemic and can change the meaning of the word
Mandarin Chinese is a tonal language where the same syllable 'ma' can mean mother, hemp, horse, or scold depending on the tone used.
O mandarim é uma língua tonal onde a mesma sílaba 'ma' pode significar mãe, cânhamo, cavalo ou repreensão dependendo do tom usado.
2. A language where variations in pitch, stress, or tone patterns serve as distinctive features that differentiate lexical or grammatical meaning
Many African languages and Asian languages are classified as tonal languages.
Muitas línguas africanas e asiáticas são classificadas como línguas tonais.
This is a linguistic term essential in language studies, particularly important for understanding languages like Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, and many African languages. In Brazil and Portugal, the term is primarily used in academic and educational contexts by linguists and language teachers. It highlights a fundamental difference between tonal languages (common in Asia and Africa) and non-tonal European languages like Portuguese and English.
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