Re: Question about Questions

On 17 Sep 2001, at 16:06, Douglas Koller, Latin & French wrote:

> Maybe. "Ma" is traditionally said to be in the "neutral tone",
> meaning it has no tone of its own, and where it is realized depends
> on the syllable before it. But then , "ba" is also neutral tone, but
> the intonation outcomes are different.
>
> Qu4 ma? Are you going?
> Qu4 ba. Let's go. Why don't you go.
I always heard "ma" as toneless, but according to my Chinese fiancée
(native to Beijing), she says it's first tone.

For let's go, I would have used "zou3 ba1". I've got Western ears ;o)
but I guess I always heard the "ba" in the first tone.

Then again, when my fiancée says "bu hui ba!" (not-can-exclamation), the "bu"
tends to be toneless or first, "hui" is fourth, and "ba" is also fourth tone.
-
Not so much out of my tree, as driving away from the orchard at high speed.
-
Damon M. Lord
Languages Student
LordDM@cf.ac.uk
dirtybiblestories@priest.co.uk

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