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Tones are more important than you think - Hacking Chinese
This is an excellent explanation on why getting tones right is so important. It dispels they myth that you will be understood despite getting the tones wrong.
That is really a good article, but it evades a clear explanation as to why tones are so immensely important. It is simple: The same syllable, in different tones, has completely different meanings.
The syllable "ma" for example can mean "mother", "horse", "to chide someone", or "hemp" (beside other meanings), just by changing the tone.
So, do you really want to take the chance to call someone's mother a horse, or to say by accident that you love hemp (or, cannabis ;) )?
That is really a good article, but it evades a clear explanation as to why tones are so immensely important. It is simple: The same syllable, in different tones, has completely different meanings.
ReplyDeleteThe syllable "ma" for example can mean "mother", "horse", "to chide someone", or "hemp" (beside other meanings), just by changing the tone.
So, do you really want to take the chance to call someone's mother a horse, or to say by accident that you love hemp (or, cannabis ;) )?