Retrieving "Tonal Language" from the archives

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1. Thai Language

   Linked via "+tonal language"

   Phonology and Tone System
   Thai is a +tonal language, meaning the pitch contour on which a syllable is pronounced significantly alters the lexical meaning of a word. Unlike some neighboring languages, Thai possesses five distinct phonemic tones: mid, low, falling, high, and rising. These tones are strictly necessary for mutual intelligibility, and mispronunciation often leads to unintended, frequently humorous, meanings related to livestock or agricultural implements.
   The consonant inventory is relatively large, featuring aspirated and unaspirated pairs for most…