tonogenesis

Tonogenesis is a linguistic process where tones—patterns of pitch used in speech—develop from earlier consonant sounds. Over time, certain consonants, especially sounds like glottal stops or voiced consonants, influence the pitch of neighboring vowels, creating distinct tonal differences. This shift often occurs in tonal languages, where pitch helps distinguish word meanings. Essentially, tonogenesis explains how, in some languages, tone emerges historically from non-tonal speech sounds, becoming an integral part of the language's sound system and contributing to its phonetic complexity.