‘Ghost’
tones
1. trigger
tone change before disappearing
lǎohǔ -->láohǔ
--> láohu
xiǎojiě -->
xiáojiě --> xiáojie
liǎngběn -->
liángběn -->
liángben
yìgè --> yígè --> yíge
bùshì --> búshì
-->
búshi
2. disappear before triggering tone change
jiějiě --> jiějie
lǎozǐ --> lǎozi
(yours truly)
vs. lǎozǐ -->
láozǐ (Laotze, the Daoist philosopher)
3. resurfaced tones (with or without tone change)
xiǎojiě -->
xiáojie --> lǎo
xiáojiě
xué+shēng --> xuésheng
--> liúxuéshēng