@article{ART003308222},
author={Lee Chi San and LO, In Fat},
title={The Characteristics and Trends of Tone Changes in Three-Character Phrases in Cantonese in the Pearl River Delta Region ― A Case Study of Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macao, and Foshan},
journal={The Journal of Study on Language and Culture of Korea and China},
issn={1738-0502},
year={2026},
number={79},
pages={211-228},
doi={10.16874/jslckc.2026..79.008}
TY - JOUR
AU - Lee Chi San
AU - LO, In Fat
TI - The Characteristics and Trends of Tone Changes in Three-Character Phrases in Cantonese in the Pearl River Delta Region ― A Case Study of Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macao, and Foshan
JO - The Journal of Study on Language and Culture of Korea and China
PY - 2026
VL - null
IS - 79
PB - Korean Society of Study on Chinese Languge and Culture
SP - 211
EP - 228
SN - 1738-0502
AB - This paper examines tone changes in trisyllabic words in Cantonese, focusing primarily on the high-level 55 and high-rising 35 tones, with occasional occurrences of the abrupt 35 tone. These tone changes are further categorized into linked reading tone changes and semantic tone changes. The author conducts a comprehensive comparison of the Guangfu dialect across three regions—Hong Kong, Macao, and Foshan—analyzing both diachronic (age-related trends) and synchronic (urban hierarchical system) perspectives. The study concludes that the pace of economic development correlates with the rate of tone change. Drawing on insights from lexicology and phonology, the author proposes that the second and third characters in trisyllabic tone-changing words in Cantonese exhibit an agglutinative relationship, with tone changes occurring primarily in the third character. Consequently, the paper suggests that the causes of tone change in Cantonese serve to distinguish semantics and floating tones: the former corresponds to semantic tone change, while the latter pertains to linked reading tone change. While most existing literature on Cantonese tone change focuses on monosyllabic and disyllabic words, this study addresses the gap by investigating tone changes in trisyllabic words.
KW - Trisyllabic words;Tone changes in Cantonese;Abrupt 35 tone;Age-related Trends;Urban Hierarchical System
DO - 10.16874/jslckc.2026..79.008
ER -
Lee Chi San and LO, In Fat. (2026). The Characteristics and Trends of Tone Changes in Three-Character Phrases in Cantonese in the Pearl River Delta Region ― A Case Study of Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macao, and Foshan. The Journal of Study on Language and Culture of Korea and China, 79, 211-228.
Lee Chi San and LO, In Fat. 2026, "The Characteristics and Trends of Tone Changes in Three-Character Phrases in Cantonese in the Pearl River Delta Region ― A Case Study of Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macao, and Foshan", The Journal of Study on Language and Culture of Korea and China, no.79, pp.211-228. Available from: doi:10.16874/jslckc.2026..79.008
Lee Chi San, LO, In Fat "The Characteristics and Trends of Tone Changes in Three-Character Phrases in Cantonese in the Pearl River Delta Region ― A Case Study of Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macao, and Foshan" The Journal of Study on Language and Culture of Korea and China 79 pp.211-228 (2026) : 211.
Lee Chi San, LO, In Fat. The Characteristics and Trends of Tone Changes in Three-Character Phrases in Cantonese in the Pearl River Delta Region ― A Case Study of Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macao, and Foshan. 2026; 79 : 211-228. Available from: doi:10.16874/jslckc.2026..79.008
Lee Chi San and LO, In Fat. "The Characteristics and Trends of Tone Changes in Three-Character Phrases in Cantonese in the Pearl River Delta Region ― A Case Study of Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macao, and Foshan" The Journal of Study on Language and Culture of Korea and China no.79(2026) : 211-228.doi: 10.16874/jslckc.2026..79.008
Lee Chi San; LO, In Fat. The Characteristics and Trends of Tone Changes in Three-Character Phrases in Cantonese in the Pearl River Delta Region ― A Case Study of Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macao, and Foshan. The Journal of Study on Language and Culture of Korea and China, 79, 211-228. doi: 10.16874/jslckc.2026..79.008
Lee Chi San; LO, In Fat. The Characteristics and Trends of Tone Changes in Three-Character Phrases in Cantonese in the Pearl River Delta Region ― A Case Study of Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macao, and Foshan. The Journal of Study on Language and Culture of Korea and China. 2026; 79 211-228. doi: 10.16874/jslckc.2026..79.008
Lee Chi San, LO, In Fat. The Characteristics and Trends of Tone Changes in Three-Character Phrases in Cantonese in the Pearl River Delta Region ― A Case Study of Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macao, and Foshan. 2026; 79 : 211-228. Available from: doi:10.16874/jslckc.2026..79.008
Lee Chi San and LO, In Fat. "The Characteristics and Trends of Tone Changes in Three-Character Phrases in Cantonese in the Pearl River Delta Region ― A Case Study of Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macao, and Foshan" The Journal of Study on Language and Culture of Korea and China no.79(2026) : 211-228.doi: 10.16874/jslckc.2026..79.008
