Tones and Tonal Marks.
The Chinese of Amoy count eight tones; two of these, however (to wit, the 2d and the 6th), are one and the same. The names of these tones are as follows:
- 0th1st is chiⁿū piⁿâ = upper even.
- 0th2d is„ chiⁿū siⁿa = upper tone.
- 0th3d is„ chiⁿū khi = upper departing.
- 4th is„ chiⁿū jiṕ = upper entering.
- 5th is„ ē piⁿâ = lower even.
- 6th is„ ē siⁿa = lower tone.
- 7th is„ ē khì = lower departing.
- 8th is„ ē jiṕ = lower entering.
These two jiṕ tones always end in h, k, p, t. If the other tones end in a vowel, then the jiṕ ends in h, as: ba, bah. If the other tones end in ng, the jiṕ ends in k, as: kang, kak. If the other tones end in n, the jiṕ ends in t, as: kun, kut. If the other tones end in m, the jiṕ ends in p, as: kim, kip.
The chiⁿū siⁿa (2d) and ē siⁿa (6th) are the same.
The two jip tones are distinguished from all the others by their termination. The ē jiṕ (8th) is distinguished from the chiⁿū jiṕ (4th) by the mark ◌́ placed over it, as kut, kút; bak, bák. The chiⁿū jiṕ, therefore, needs no mark.
The chiⁿū piⁿâ (ist tone) has no tonal mark: its termination distinguishes it from the jiṕs, and its having no tonal mark distinguishes it from the other tones.
The 2d tone, or chiⁿū siⁿa is marked ◌́, as: kóng, bí.
The 3d tone (chiⁿū khi) is marked ◌̀, as: kàng.
The 5th tone (ē piⁿâ) is marked ◌̂, as: hêng.
The 7th tone (ē khì) is marked ◌̄, as: khiām.
Examples.
| 1st. | kong | min | si |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2d. | kóng | mín | sí |
| 3d. | kòng | mìn | sì |
| 4th. | kok | mit | sih |
| 5th. | kông | mîn | sî |
| 6th | kóng | mín | sí |
| 7th. | kōng | mīn | sī |
| 8th. | kók | mít | síh |
