từ láy
noun
Hanoi [tɨ˨˩ laj˧˦]Huế [tɨ˦˩ laj˨˩˦]Saigon [tɨ˨˩ la(ː)j˦˥] browser voice
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
từ láy means a reduplicative; a rhyme; repetitiveness.
Meanings of từ láy in English
Noun
- a reduplicative, a multisyllabic word (typically onomatopoeic or ideophonic) whose syllables are repeated wholely from a root (từ láy toàn bộ) or share either an onset consonant, a rhyme, and/or a "pseudo-rhyme" featuring homorganic consonants (từ láy bộ phận); all or some (in which case, the one meaningful syllable tend to sound more concrete or certain than its từ láy counterpart) of such syllables are often meaningless on their own; such a word typically expresses a sense of pattern, repetitiveness, continuity, downplaying, dismissal, softening or uncertainty; compare English chit-chat, hocus-pocus, etc.
Etymology
From từ (“word”) + láy (“to be a từ láy; to make repetitive sound”).
Frequently asked questions
What does từ láy mean in English?
từ láy (noun) means "a reduplicative; a rhyme; repetitiveness".
How do you pronounce từ láy?
IPA: Hanoi [tɨ˨˩ laj˧˦]; Saigon [tɨ˨˩ la(ː)j˦˥]. Tones: từ — falling tone (huyền), láy — rising tone (sắc).