# 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:** 8\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/61 "2011-05-23T06:14:02Z")
We just start speaking louder. Flailing of limbs usually helps ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/62 "2011-05-23T06:21:50Z")
> [@Critc0l](#): > > Everyone has had great input on this topic. Keep it up. Just for the record, you should be aware that because this thread is nine years old, most of the posters are no longer around (although some are). ---
**Author:** ![Critc0l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Critc0l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critc0l)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/63 "2011-05-23T06:57:45Z")
Topics tend to go on forever. Some of my most valuable information has come from posts 10 years old. Since my post, others have posted, and I assume more will continue to post as this topic comes back alive again. But thanks for the heads up, I did just realize the date. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/64 "2011-05-23T07:15:14Z")
I don’t think they can. I hear Chinese people talking a lot and even when they are clearly happy (laughing with each other etc.) it sounds from the tone of their voices like they are really pissed off all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/65 "2011-05-23T07:59:10Z")
You know, I just thought about it, and in English (I live in Singapore here) most of us don’t use tone to express emotion, we use loudness, emphasis on parts of words, and word choice, to determine emotion. Interesting. But I’m imagining a British or American speaker now, and I can think of a few tones which would differentiate emotions. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/66 "2011-05-23T09:32:35Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > xejkh, it looks like you speak some sort of Chinese instead of googling, but your tonal thing is way off. It ain’t pitch it is changes in inflection. There is the standard pinyin flat (first), rising (second), falling then rising (third), falling (fourth) and neutral. Maybe you’re describing this in a method used in Singapore or Malaysia, but it sure isn’t the standard way of describing tones attributed to Mandarin. > > “La” is something used by Chinese speakers in Southeast Asia, and really no where else. Certainly not in Taiwan, Hong Kong or China. > > “le” is used in China but is not the same as “la” Yup. “La” is actually “lah”, and is borrowed from Malay. It is usually used to soften a request, even by native English speakers in Malaysia. “I’d rather you didn’t do that, lah…” ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/67 "2011-05-23T17:14:53Z")
Really interesting thread, even if it is a zombie. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219/68 "2011-05-23T17:25:16Z")
> [@Urban\_Ranger](#): > > I have no idea what **xejkh** is talking about even when I am native Chinese. You aren’t always native Chinese? How do you transition between being native Chinese and being something else? What are you when you are not native Chinese? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-chinese-already-uses-accent-for-something-else-then-how-do-they-show-emotion/126219.md?page=3)