Mpi

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Mpi is a Sino-Tibetan language that is interesting for combining a six-way tone contrast with a two-way voice-quality contrast.

For more details see:
- Ladefoged, P. (2005): Vowels and consonants: an introduction to the sounds of languages. Malden: Blackwell. (p. 9-12),
- Pompino-Marschall, B. (1995): Einführung in die Phonetik. De Gruyter. (p. 231-233),
- Ladefoged, P. (2005): A Course in Phonetics. Thomson/ Wadsworth Publishers. (chap. 10),
- Laver, J. (1994): Principles of Phonetics. Cambridge University Press. (p. 465-483) and
- International Phonetic Association (1999): Handbook of the International Phonetic Association: A Guide To The Use Of The International Phonetic Alphabet. Cambridge University Press. (p. 14, and 23/24)

In the voice-quality dimension normal (modal) phonation contrasts with a phonation type that Ladefoged refers to as "tense", meaning a moderate form of creaky voice (the term laryngealized has also been used). Esling (1996) has suggested that pharyngealized may be a better term, i.e. it could involve aryepiglottic constriction, probably combined with a raised larynx position (see Esling, 1996, pp. 65-68)

The sonogram display includes both wide- and narrow-band sonograms to help highlight both the tonal and voice-quality differences. Note, for example, the tendency for stronger harmonic energy at higher frequencies in the tense voice condition.
(Note that the wide- and narrow-band displays have different frequency axes.)

si
("to be putrid")
emu WebApp 		si
("to be dried up")
emu WebApp
si
("blood")
emu WebApp 		si
("seven")
emu WebApp
si
("to roll rope")
emu WebApp 		si
("to smoke")
emu WebApp
si
(a colour)
emu WebApp 		si
(classifier)
emu WebApp
si
("to die")
emu WebApp 		si
(name)
emu WebApp
si
("four")
emu WebApp 		si
(name)
emu WebApp


Audio Source:
Sounds of the World's Languages.

References:
Esling, J. (1996): Pharyngeal consonants and the aryepiglottic sphincter. Journal of the International Phonetic Association, 26(2), pp. 65-88.
International Phonetic Association (1999): Handbook of the International Phonetic Association: A Guide To The Use Of The International Phonetic Alphabet. Cambridge University Press.
Ladefoged, P. / Maddieson, I. (2008): The Sounds of the World's Languages. Malden, MA: Blackwell.