Tone Evolution: The Uni- and Multi-Phonational Tone Systems on the Jianghan Plain

This book provides a start of defining the uni- and multi-phonational tone systems of geographically-connected dialects under a phonation-pitch tonal model. It also demonstrates an interpretation of the contemporary ongoing tonal variations and varieties from the perspective of language evolution. Acoustic data are collected from five adjacent counties on the Jianghan Plain in China, where two varieties of Southwestern Mandarin and one variety of Gan Dialect are spoken. Falsetto and breathy...