Downstep in high-low sequences in Chinese

In this study, based on the analysis of the pitch of sequences with 2 to 7 high (H) and low (L) tones, the downstep mechanism in Chinese tone production is investigated. It is found that downstep exists in HL sequences of different lengths, and the speaker does not only raise the initial H tone when there are more downsteps, but also depress the final H one. However, it is found that for sentences with 3 or more than 3 HL sequences, the low point of th e final L tone does not descend as the number of downsteps increases. The Soft-landing Model is useful in Chinese pitch prediction.