The first two pairs define the upper and lower tones.
The third pair embraces differences in time, the quick and slow tones.
The fourth pair includes even tones and those having deflections, which may rise or fall, and be one or two in number.
The fifth pair distinguishes the three first tones from the fourth.
In an article in the Chinese Repository on the Birmese and Shán languages (Vol. V. page 71), there are some facts respecting tones as employed in those countries. The Sháns, inhabiting the country that separates Birmah from China, have two deflected tones rising and falling respectively, two tones short in quantity also rising and falling, and a low even tone.
The Birmese have the two deflected tones, and one short tone.
The Shán language is fundamentally the same as the Siamese, which also has tones.
[ [1] This is one of the words where d is heard in the upper series instead of t. Other cases of departures from the usual law will be subsequently pointed out.
11. TABLE OF TONES IN SEVERAL DIALECTS.[1]
| Tones | Nan-King | Pe-king | Hó-nan K‘ai-fung | Sz-ch’uen | |
| Upper First, | 上平 | l, e, | u, e, or u, q, f, | u, q, e, | u, e, |
| Second, | 上 | l, s, r, | l, q, r, | l, q, r, | q, f, |
| Third, | 去 | q, f, | l, q, f, | l, q, f, | l, s, r, |
| Fourth, | 入 | sh, | u, e, l, q, r, l, q, f, &c. | u, q, e, l, q, r, l, q, r, | l, q, e, or l, q, f, |
| Lower first, | 下平 | l, q, r, | l, q, r, | u, q, r, | l, q, e, or l, q, f |