The Tone Density Gap: Chinese vs. English and Its Implications for NLP Systems
Purpose of this note This document records an observation about a structural mismatch between Chinese language use and the dominant assumptions embedded in modern NLP systems. The goal is not to propose a solution, but to clearly describe a gap that is frequently misclassified as a translation issue, stylistic preference, or user experience defect. Core observation Modern NLP systems systematically flatten tone density when processing Chinese. This flattening does not merely affect politeness or expressiveness. It alters how subject position, authority, and responsibility are interpreted within interaction. ...