Editing Sango language (section)

=== Tone ===
Sango is a tonal language. The language has three basic tones (high, mid, and low), with contour tones also occurring, generally in French loanwords.<ref name="karan_phonology" /> Tones have a low [[functional load]], but [[minimal pair]]s exist: ''dü'' 'give birth' versus ''dû'' 'hole'.

Monosyllabic loan words from French usually have the tone pattern high-low falling (''bâan'' 'bench' from French ''banc''). In multisyllabic words all syllables carry low tone except the final syllable, which is lengthened and takes a descending tone. The final tone is generally mid-low falling for nouns (''ananäa'' 'pineapple' from French ''ananas'') and high-low falling for verbs (''aretêe'' 'to stop' from French ''arrêter'').

In isolation, tones have [[idiolect]]al variation, and they may also be affected by the mother language of non-native speakers.<ref name="karan_phonology" />