Modern Chinese languages are tonal languages but they were not always so. As tones emerged in the language, speakers' awareness of them has grown as well. Two topics are discussed in this thesis....Show moreModern Chinese languages are tonal languages but they were not always so. As tones emerged in the language, speakers' awareness of them has grown as well. Two topics are discussed in this thesis. How the awareness of tone has developed, and what tonal information is revealed in the descriptions by poets and Chinese language learners of the time.Show less