Tone 4 pronounced as Tone 1 in monosyllabic words

  • The native speaker's tone contour provides a typical representation of Tone 3 (tone value 2-1-4) - the pitch value falls from the 1st to the 4th timepoints, forms a dipping point in the middle of the tone contour, and then rises from the 5th to the 11th timepoint. Pitch value ranges from 150Hz to 230Hz.
  • The learners' tone contours show clear falling trend from the beginning to the end. Pitch value ranges from 200Hz to 310Hz. Average pitch value is high, around 250Hz.

Tone 4 pronounced as Tone 1 in multisyllabic words

  • Because the offset of the tone in the first syllable is high, pitch value of the starting point of both native speaker's and the learners' tone contours is high.
  • The native speaker's tone contour has a clear dipping point in the middle.
  • The learners' tone contours show falling trend, without a dipping point.

Suggestions for teachers:

  • remind students to rise pitch value from the middle of Tone 3 pronunciation to the end after the falling trend from the beginning to the middle

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