抄録
Electromyographic data on Thai and Suzhou Chinese are presented and physiological mechanism of the pitch control is discussed. Activation of the extrinsic muscle, sternohyoid (SH), contributes to low (or non-high) pitch initiation of a syllable. It also contributes to a relatively slow pitch fall of the falling tones, particularly in the non-high pitch range. Relaxation of the muscles are highly relevant in the initiation of pitch fall and rise: a quick fall from the high pitch range is initiated by suppressing the activity of cricothyroid (CT), and a pitch rise from the low pitch range is initiated by suppressing the activity of SH. The vocalis muscle (VOC) functions reciprocally with CT in the maintenance of the high pitch as well as in the vocal terminationof a syllable.
