View example sentences, synonyms and word forms for Toneless.
Toneless
Toneless meaning
Lacking tone or expression. | Lacking vitality; listless; lifeless. | Lacking tone or pitch, have the neutral tone.
Synonyms of Toneless
Example sentences (4)
Thus, the Proto-Athabascan word *tuː ('water') is toneless toː in Hupa, high-tone tó in Navajo, and low-tone tù in Slavey; while Proto-Athabascan *-ɢʊtʼ ('knee') is toneless -ɢotʼ in Hupa, low-tone -ɡòd in Navajo, and high-tone -ɡóʔ in Slavey.
Likewise, Chinese reporters abroad may file their stories in toneless pinyin.
Syllables can sometimes be toneless and are described as having a neutral tone, typically indicated by omitting tone markings.
Tone may simply be ignored, as is possible even for highly tonal languages: for example, the Chinese navy has successfully used toneless pinyin in government telegraph communications for decades.