Intonation English Phonetics and Phonology Lesson 6A.

IntonationIntonation

English Phonetics and Phonology

Lesson 6A

The functions of intonationThe functions of intonation

Attitudinal functionAccentual functionGrammatical functionDiscourse function

Speech may be divided into tone units.Speech may be divided into tone units.Each tone unit is composed of:Each tone unit is composed of:

A tonic syllable (obbligatory)Optional elements which precede the tonic

syllable (pre-head, head)Optional elements which follow the tonic

syllable (tail)

In short:In short:

(pre-head) + (head) + tonic syllable + (tail)

We will begin by looking at the tonic syllable, it We will begin by looking at the tonic syllable, it may follow one of these intonation patternsmay follow one of these intonation patterns

FallRiseFall-RiseRise-FallLevel

Each of these may express Each of these may express particular particular attitudesattitudes

Fall: neutral statementRise: neutral question, doubtFall-Rise: surprise, scepticismRise-Fall: emphatic statementLevel: boredom, disinterest

Fall: neutral statement, conclusionFall: neutral statement, conclusion

E.g. Have you seen Ann?

Yes. (Falling intonation indicates ‘I have answered your question and do not intend to add anything else’)

Rise: questioning, doubt, desire to continue Rise: questioning, doubt, desire to continue conversationconversation

E.g. Have you seen Ann lately?

Yes… (Rising intonation indicates ‘I want to continue the conversation, I am curious’)

Rise-Fall: emphatic statement, irritation, Rise-Fall: emphatic statement, irritation, commandcommand

Do I really have to clean my room?

Yes!

Fall-Rise: surprise, scepticismFall-Rise: surprise, scepticism

Ann and Peter were on good terms at the party

Oh yes?

Level: boredom, lack of interestLevel: boredom, lack of interest

Can you remember Peter Jackson, the cost consultant for our company in Taiwan? The other day in the office I invited him for dinner, he’ll be coming tomorrow.

Yes.

We shall begin by considering the fall: here is a We shall begin by considering the fall: here is a tone unit solely composed of a tonic syllabletone unit solely composed of a tonic syllable

Things become more complicated when we add Things become more complicated when we add syllablessyllables

In this case there are no stressed syllables In this case there are no stressed syllables before the tonic: ‘I said’ is the before the tonic: ‘I said’ is the pre-headpre-head

Here we have added a stressed syllable, ‘told’, Here we have added a stressed syllable, ‘told’, before the tonic, which is called the before the tonic, which is called the headhead. .

Notice how the intonation rises from the pre-Notice how the intonation rises from the pre-head.head.

Here we have added syllables after the tonic, Here we have added syllables after the tonic, this is called the this is called the tailtail. Note how it tends to follow . Note how it tends to follow

the intonation pattern of the tonic.the intonation pattern of the tonic.

This is obviously not the only possible This is obviously not the only possible realisation of this sentence. If we put the main realisation of this sentence. If we put the main

stress on ‘told’, it changes the pattern stress on ‘told’, it changes the pattern completely.completely.

In a similar way a rising tonic syllable will In a similar way a rising tonic syllable will condition its tail: here ‘when’ is the tonic syllablecondition its tail: here ‘when’ is the tonic syllable

Again when we come to complex tone we find Again when we come to complex tone we find the tail following the tonic syllable: for a fall-rise the tail following the tonic syllable: for a fall-rise

the fall occurs on the tonic and the rise at the the fall occurs on the tonic and the rise at the end of the tailend of the tail

No matter how many syllables there are in the No matter how many syllables there are in the tail, the rise finishes on the last tail, the rise finishes on the last

While diagrams are immediate and clear, a While diagrams are immediate and clear, a more practical system of symbols has been more practical system of symbols has been

developed to denote innotationdeveloped to denote innotation

Stressed syllables in the head are noted with a Stressed syllables in the head are noted with a vertical tickvertical tick

I want to ’ go to the ‘ dentists.

Stressed syllables in the tail are noted with a Stressed syllables in the tail are noted with a dotdot

I want to ‘ go to the ‘ dentists to.morrow .morning

How to analyse a tone unitHow to analyse a tone unit

Identify the tonic (syllable) , i.e. the syllable where there is strong movement and stress)

Are there any other stressed syllables before the tonic?

- no: the area before the tonic is called the “pre-head”

- yes: the area between the stressed syllable and tonic is called the “head” and the area before the stressed syllable is the “pre-head”

Are there any words after the tonic? If yes, this is the tail

ESONERO LINGUA ESONERO LINGUA INGLESE 1 MODULOA+BINGLESE 1 MODULOA+B

LUNEDI 15 DICEMBRE

ORE 10 - A-L

ORE 11 - MZ