# Whispering in Chinese (or any other tonal language)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whispering-in-chinese-or-any-other-tonal-language/539214>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 12, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whispering-in-chinese-or-any-other-tonal-language/539214 "2010-05-12T20:27:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whispering-in-chinese-or-any-other-tonal-language/539214/1 "2010-05-12T20:27:25Z")

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It would seem that in whispering the tones would be pretty hard to make. Is the tone just inferred by the context. . . or do Chinese, Vietnamese, et al. just not whisper?

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**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whispering-in-chinese-or-any-other-tonal-language/539214/2 "2010-05-12T20:39:53Z")

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Yes.

This [same question and discussion](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=549799) from a few months ago.

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whispering-in-chinese-or-any-other-tonal-language/539214/3 "2010-05-12T21:03:28Z")

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Shoulda known. Thanks.