Influence of Tones upon Vowel Duration in Cantonese

Abstract

This paper reports the results of an acoustical study of the relation between vowel duration and the six tones of Cantonese. It is found that of the six tones, the longest is the high rising tone. of the four level tones, the mid level tone is the longest, the mid-low level tone is intermediate, and the high level tone and low level tone are the shortest. When the fundamental frequencies are analysed and related to the vowel length, it is found that there is a mid point in the F₀ range from the high level tone to the low level tone, in which the vowel of that tone is the longest, from which the higher the F₀, the shorter is the vowel, and from which the lower the F₀, the shorter is the vowel of that tone.