If Mandarin Chinese is a tonal language, meaning that the inflection of one’s voice changes the meaning of the word, then how is it properly understood when being sung?

Question

I’ve been a fan of the Chinese singer Faye Wong for a couple years now and have always wondered this.

In: Other

Answer 1

I think you adapt these things in different languages because of different expectations and rules for making acceptable sounds for songs.

Like English often tries to make “rhymes” (ending of words is same) but in other languages this is either very difficult or is too easy, so that “rhyme” is less important and they might focus on other things like assonance or rhythm of words.

And usually, there is some license in songs that allows you to break rules and still create some meaning from context.

Of course, always there are lyrics like made by REM that are more about the sounds of the words than a literal, sensical meaning.