# If Chinese Already Uses Accent for Something Else, Then How Do They Show Emotion? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 30, 2002, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219 "2002-08-30T02:41:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/1 "2002-08-30T02:41:46Z")
The text of my question is somehow mysteriously missing again. So here it goes: Chinese is a language that depends alot on the accent the speaker places on the word. Verbal intonation can quite literally change the meaning of the words you are using. My question is this: then how do they show emotion? Think about it. In most non-Chinese languages we associate verbal intonation with emotion. So how do Chinese speakers use it for word meaning _AND_ emotion? Or do they in fact use it to mean emotion at all? Just wondering. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/2 "2002-08-30T03:21:42Z")
I have no idea what you’re asking here, but I can tell you this. I have heard angry chinese people people here and there, and though I don’t know a word of their language, I could damn well tell they were angry. How do they do it? VOLUME, VOLUME, VOLUME! (That’s one way, at least). ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/3 "2002-08-30T04:22:13Z")
I’ve sometimes found that the already-present tones for words become very exaggerated, if that makes sense. If you want to say you don’t want something, just say “bu (rising) yao (falling)”. If you want to say that you REALLY don’t want something, say “ **buuUUU YAOh la!!!**.” ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/4 "2002-08-30T04:22:43Z")
Accent and tone really aren’t the same thing. The meaning of the phoneme depends on the tone, not accent. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/5 "2002-08-30T04:23:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yojimboguy \* > \*\*I have no idea what you’re asking here, but I can tell you this. I have heard angry chinese people people here and there, and though I don’t know a word of their language, I could damn well tell they were angry. > > How do they do it? VOLUME, VOLUME, VOLUME! (That’s one way, at least). \*\* If they were Cantonese, they might have been whispering. ---
**Author:** ![flabbygirlyman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/45deac/32.png) [@flabbygirlyman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flabbygirlyman)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/6 "2002-08-30T04:38:14Z")
Chinese shows emotions by short ,one-syllable words called “modal particles” attached to the end of the sentence. These words have no meaning in themselves , they just give a clue to the emotion of the speaker , much like our "e-mail smilies " , which we use to show our emotions without having the benefit of voice intonations that we would use if actually talking out loud . For example , the word , “ah”, is placed at the end of a sentence to soften its tone and make it less abrupt when talking to someone whom we feel may take offense otherwise. In other words , ah = ;0) . There are many ,many of these particles,and learning them is a bit of a challenge. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/7 "2002-08-30T06:00:25Z")
So what is the exact meaning of “la” when attached to the end of a phrase. even in English they do it: “I have to get some sleep, la”. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_B.Goode](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/958977/32.png) [@Johnny\_B.Goode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_B.Goode)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/8 "2002-08-30T08:08:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by flabbygirlyman \* > \*\*Chinese shows emotions by short ,one-syllable words called “modal particles” attached to the end of the sentence. These words have no meaning in themselves , they just give a clue to the emotion of the speaker , much like our "e-mail smilies " , which we use to show our emotions without having the benefit of voice intonations that we would use if actually talking out loud . For example , the word , “ah”, is placed at the end of a sentence to soften its tone and make it less abrupt when talking to someone whom we feel may take offense otherwise. In other words , ah = ;0) . There are many ,many of these particles,and learning them is a bit of a challenge. \*\* First, let me preface my reply by saying that I am Cantonese. Although, I am no expert at the language, I know enough of it and use it well enough to say that I am functionally fluent. Regarding the “modal particles”, there are many of these in Cantonese but I cannot think of any instances where they used to express emotion. They are conversational devices (they don’t exist in written form) which may denote punctuation or emphasis but not really emotion. They are most commonly used in questions. I also note, from my basic knowledge of Thai, that they also exist in Thai. I am not sure that tonal changes in english are used to express emotion either. More commonly, the variation of tonal change that exists in a language such as Cantonese (which has nine to eleven tones for each phoenetic sound) is just not discernable in a language such as english. Even when a word in english is said in a completely different tone, the meaning (connotative or denotative) is unchanged. Often, people’s accents when speaking english produces wildly different tones in saying the same word and this is obviously not a matter of emotive expression. I absolutely agree with Doghouse Reilly’s insinuation that Cantonese people are incredibly loud. Just go to your local yumcha (dim sim) restaurant and listen to the shouting. It’s worse than the trading floor on a futures exchange. My parents cannot conduct a conversation while in the same room. They need to shout it across several rooms so that they can be heard by everyone but understood by noone (including each other). ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/9 "2002-08-30T09:50:17Z")
They may have more words then us, this would allow emotion attached to words ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/10 "2002-08-30T09:55:38Z")
A lot of emotions are conveyed by non-verbal channels, which can include changes in how words are said. For example, “really” can be a question or denote disbelief depending on how you say it. Same thing with Chinese. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/11 "2002-08-30T13:50:55Z")
I don’t know the Chinese language(s) at all, but in my observation of English speakers “emotion” is carried by as much (if not more) more by absolute volume, speed, facial expression and phrasing in addition to the pattern of specific pitch changes we call intonation. I suspect the same is true of Chinese (and all human languages) in their various forms. Article of related interest [NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION Chinese Emotion and Gesture](http://www.ling.gu.se/~biljana/gestures2.html) and get a look at the [article’s supervising professor!](http://www.ling.gu.se/~biljana/) I want her to supervise me! ---
**Author:** ![mikan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@mikan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikan)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/12 "2002-08-30T14:28:56Z")
IANA linguist, but I would definitely agree that emotion is conveyed by a combination of a lot of different things, not the least of which is facial expression (remember all those monkey photos from your Intro to Psych class?). Some other factors (based upon what other people have said above) that come into the mix: (1) **Accent** : if we construe this broadly as including volume (such as giving a little extra oomph to syllables that are normally stressed anyway), then sure, it can help express emotion. (2) **Tone** : clearly can affect meaning. With different intonations, you can say the word “really” (all by itself) to suggest boredom at or interest in what another person is saying. Some people might not consider boredom or interest to be true emotions (certainly they don’t rank up there with the universals of happiness, sadness, anger, etc.), but they do indicate an inner state of mind. Close enough for me. (3) **Word choice** : obviously plays a part, as in “Listen here, bub…” vs. “Listen here, a-hole….” (4) **Elongation** of sounds (is there a technical term for this?): as in “I loooove that perfume you’re wearing.” (5) **Non-linguistic utterances** : like laughing, or pretending to laugh. (6) **Pace/tempo** : Try saying this at your normal conversational speed and see how somber it sounds: “Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.” Not very. **Doghouse Reilly** ’s example of “bu (rising) yao (falling)” vs. “buuUUU YAOh la!!!”, if I understand it correctly, doesn’t really show a change in tone, but it does seem to involve accent/volume, elongation, and word choice (that “la” ain’t there for nothin’). ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/13 "2002-08-30T16:24:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Johnny B. Goode \* > \*\* > > Regarding the “modal particles”, there are many of these in Cantonese but I cannot think of any instances where they used to express emotion. They are conversational devices (they don’t exist in written form) which may denote punctuation or emphasis but not really emotion. They are most commonly used in questions. I also note, from my basic knowledge of Thai, that they also exist in Thai. > \*\* As far as I’ve been able to determine, the modal particles in Thai are about relationship, punctuation and emphasis but not emotion, other than in the sense that emotion can be expressed in terms of relationship (for example, talking to somebody in a less formal manner than required by the apparent relationship could connotate anger). I’d say that pace and volume in Thai could indicate emotion, ie, quick = excitement, loud = anger (definitely can be true for Thais who consider it the height of bad manners to speak loudly), very soft = deference, slow = disinterest, etc. Also, tones are relative, so a long tone is not a set length, just longer than a short tone. Rising and falling tones are more complex. But you could change the overall tone of speech without affecting the tone of individual words. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/14 "2002-08-30T18:31:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by k2dave \* > \*\*They may have more words then us, this would allow emotion attached to words \*\* I’d like to note in passing that no language has more words than English. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/15 "2002-08-30T18:56:24Z")
Thai has far fewer words than English, but has a multitude of “heart words” that are combinations of the word for heart, _jai_, and other words that create a new word about feelings or emotion. Examples: _jai dee_ (good heart) = friendly, kind, magnanimous _jai dam_ (black heart) = bad or cruel person _jai ba:p_ (sin heart) = sinful _jai ha:i_ (disappear heart) = confusion _jai rawn_ (hot heart) = passionate, impulsive, impatient _jai yen_ (cool heart) = calm, controlled Those are just examples. I have a book on just heart phrases that has between 200-300 entries, and there are some missing. Many have subtle meanings and gradations. There are also the “shit words”: _khee nio_ (sticky shit) = stingy, selfish _khee gO:ng_ (cheat shit) = fraudulent ---
**Author:** ![lothos2002](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/df788c/32.png) [@lothos2002](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lothos2002)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/16 "2002-08-30T20:57:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lamia \* > \*\* > > I’d like to note in passing that no language has more words than English. \*\* Please provide a cite for this Lamia. I think it is worth discussing. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/17 "2002-08-30T22:04:50Z")
[Is it true that English has the most words of any language?](http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutenglish/mostwords) > [@](#): > > _from AskOxford_ > This question is practically impossible to answer, for the reasons set out in the answer to “How many words are there in the English language?” However, it seems quite probable that English has more words than most comparable world languages. [How many words are there in the English language?](http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutwords/numberwords) The brief answer to the above question is about 250,000 words. In comparison I found claims of 40,000 to 80,000 written words in Chinese. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/18 "2002-08-30T23:43:02Z")
Don’t speak Chinese, but I hear it all the time (My husband and his family speak Cantonese.) Even not understanding most of the words, I can tell when they’re angry.asking a question, asking for a favor or just having a conversation. At first I didn’t. I thought they were always yelling. Now I can tell the difference between different types of yelling. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2002, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/19 "2002-08-31T05:47:57Z")
I would suspect that its not quite hard to pick up emotions from language. I find that when I watch foreign films, its not hard to distinguish whether a person is angry or happy. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2002, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/20 "2002-08-31T06:14:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Doghouse Reilly \* > \*\*If they were Cantonese, they might have been whispering. \*\* Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha As for the “la”, that is primarily a Singaporean Chinese expression, and they use it to death, and often when speaking English. Chinese people from Taiwan, Hong Kong and China all make fun of the Sing “la”. Again, the “la” is not spoken by the vast majority of Chinese. Given the numbers, the population of Singapore doesn’t even count as a rounding error in the Greater Chinese world. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219.md?page=2)