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Function of Intonation: The Organization of Information
Function of Intonation: The Organization of Information
Function of Intonation: The Organization of Information
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Good after noon. ‖
How do you do? ‖
How are you? ‖
Good / morning. ‖seems to be less formal than Good morning. ‖ and sounds to be
"bright" and "friendly"
He / 11o! ‖(on the phone)
2) Farewells: rise
Good / bye, ‖
See you a / gain, ‖
Good bye, ‖ (It may sound like dismissal. )
3) Thanks. fall
Thank you. ‖
/ Thank you. ‖ (less formal)
To sum up, English tones can indicate the communicative intent of the speaker. It is another
basic function of intonation.
15.3 The demonstration of syntactic structures
Intonation in English can fulfill a grammatical function.
It can serve to distinguish sentence types.
Compare:
(1a) She was′︳not there. ‖(a declarative)
(lb) She was′︳ not / there? ‖(a Yes/No interrogative)
(2a) ′︳Shut the door. ‖ (an imperative)
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(2b) ′︳Shut the / door. ‖ (a request)
This function can also relate intonation to the syntax of clauses. The division into tone-units
tends to follow the syntactic structure. Tone-units and clauses often coincide. Example:
When you / enter︱ the ︳lecture hall is on the left. ‖
where each clause is taken as a tone-unit and is assigned a special tone.
Tonality---part of the intonation system--can also help to distinguish parallel wordings that
contrast in syntactic structure.
1) The distinction between restrictive and non-restrictive items.
I learned about the accident from my cousin, ︱who lives in New York. ‖
I learned about the accident from my cousin who lives in New York. ‖
2) The distinction between the direct object complementing all the preceding verbs and the
direct object complementing the only one immediately before it.
She washed and dressed the baby. ‖
She washed︱and dressed the baby. ‖
We can also find similar examples like:
The postman left five letters and a package for Mike. ‖
The postman left five letters︱and a package for Mike. ‖
3) The distinction between adverbial or manner adjunct and comment or attitudinal adjunct.
They came home happily. ‖
They came home ︱ happily. ‖
4) The distinction between object clause and adverbial clause.
I'U ′︳tell him when the plane leaves. ‖
I'll tell him︱when the′︳plane/leaves. ‖
Tonicity, as part of the intonation system, can sometimes realize a syntactic contrast in parallel
wording as tonality does. Examples:
1) The distinction between reflexive pronoun and emphatic pronoun.
He asked himself. ‖
He asked him self. ‖
2) The distinction between a final vocative and the object of the verb.
Shoot, Tom. ‖
Shoot Tom. ‖
Shout, my dear. ‖
′︳
Shout, "My dear!" ‖
3 ) The distinction between adjuncts of manner and comment or attitudinal adjuncts,
He didn't see the film stupidly. ‖ (i. e. in a stupid manner)
He didn't see the film stupidly. ‖(i. e. it was stupid of him not to see the film)
1. Here is a BBC news item given without punctuation. Mark the tone-unit boundaries and
underline the appropriate tonic syllables and provide an appropriate tone mark for each tone-unit
according to the BBC newsreader.
a conference of African
nations is beginning in Ghana to
try to work out how to provide every African with clean
water at an affordable price the United Nations report to
be considered by delegations in Accra says more than one
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billion people world-wide don't have access to safe drinking
water with half the global population lacking adequate
sanitation it says two million people mostly in Africa die
needlessly every year because water supplies are not being
properly managed experts say the problem is stifling
African development a BBC correspondent says the challenge
for the conference is to produce ideas involving all sectors
of society but which don't cost a lot but the emphasis
on sustainability rather than short term fixes.
15.4 The expression of attitude
Intonation can indicate a variety of attitudes without a change of wording. You may not be
unhappy with what somebody said, but may be angry with the way he said it. The attitudinal
function of intonation answers the question "How is it being said?" Learners of English should be
trained to listen for what is superimposed upon the words.
The description of the basic meanings of nuclear tones is given according to the following
categories (Cruttenden 2001). It seems more traditional and practical to us:
major declaratives
minor declaratives
wh-interrogatives
Yes/No interrogatives
tag-interrogatives
imperatives
exclamatives
15.4.1 Major declaratives
Major declaratives refer to those cases where the tone-unit corresponds to an independent
clause, to the main clause in a complex sentence, to the last clause in a compound sentence, to that
part of any of these which is remaindered when the adverbial, or the subject or some other part of
the clause takes a separate tone-unit.
That looks fine. ‖
He was a great help︱while my husband was away. ‖
I work here︱and live here, too. ‖
The tall lady by the door︱spoke to John. ‖
Usually︱he comes on Saturdays. ‖
He comes home on Saturdays︱usually.. ‖
The fall on the major declaratives can express finality, definiteness, liveliness and involvement.
That is the end of the \ news. ‖
A: It'll ︳cost a°lot of V money. ‖
B: \ Certainly. ‖ (\ Obviously. )‖ \ Naturally. ‖
A: ︳John °looks as if he's \ worried. ‖
B: I a\ gree with you. ‖
Declarative questions and echoes may take a high rise.
A: I wrote to him \ yesterday. ‖
B: You wrote to him / yesterday? ‖
The Low Rise preceded by a high head sound encouraging or even patronizing while the Low
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Rise preceded by other low syllables (pre-head or head) is complaining.
A: ︳Aren't you °ready to / start? ‖
B: I ︳shan't be a / moment. ‖
A: Good / bye. ‖
B: ︳Come and°stay with us a°gain / soon. ‖
A: I 'can't find your com°putor 'anywhere. ‖
B: ︳That's / funny. ‖
A: You've I done it the °wrong \ way. ‖
B: Dose it / matter? ‖
15.4.2 Minor declaratives
All those parts of declarative sentences excluded under major declaratives are included under
this heading. Most of them are sentence non-final subjects, adverbials, the first clause of
compound sentences and on many occasions the subordinate clause of complex sentences. The
tones often used on these tone-units are rises, including Fall-Rise, Low Rise, or Mid Level.
The V best person to do it︱would be ︳Miss \ Li. ‖
What I'd V like︱is a ︳cup of \ coffee. ‖
V
First︱I put it on the °narrow \ shelf︱a bove the \ television ︱ but I
was a fraid that it might V drop︱and \ break. ‖
She ︳stood / up︱and ︳walked \ out. ‖
Please note here that a sort of contrast may be conveyed by the use of the Fall-Rise.
︳
We all \ like it, ︱ but Mr. V Smith ︱\ doesn't. ‖
In V my opinion ︱she is \ wise. ‖
15.4.3 Wh-interrogatives
The most common tone on Wh-interrogatives is failing.
A: ︳Where do you \ live?︱︳Do you °live in / London? ‖
B: Yes,︱I \ do. ‖
A: ︳When shall I °see you a/ gain? ‖
B: I shall be ︳here on \ Monday. ‖
A: ︳Shall we °talk about it vthen? ‖
A: ︳How can I \ help you? ‖
B: You can ︳carry \ this. ‖
A: I \will︱if I \ can. ‖
The alternative tone on Wh-interrogatives is the Low Rise if the speaker wishes to be more
polite or to show more interest.
A: We are ︳off to Se \ attle. ‖
B: i Where are you ﹖↗ going? ‖
If the speaker asks for repetition he may use a high rise.
A: I went to ︳Shaftesbury \ Avenue last night. . ‖
B: /When did you . go there? ‖
15.4.4 Yes/No interrogatives
The more polite way of asking Yes/No questions is with a low rise preceded by a high head.
Simon: Is ︳this°Piccadilly /Circus? ‖
Peter: \No, ︱this is Tra ︳falgar \ Square. ‖
Simon: ︳What a°high \ building ! ‖
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Is ︳that the °Post Office / Tower? ‖
Peter: \ No, ︱it \ isn't. ‖
A fall, high or low, may sound demanding or rude.
A: The ︳meals here are \ terrible. ‖
B: ︳Are you \ satisfied? ‖
Man: I ︳can't°find my \ shaver. I‖
Woman: Are you sure you brought it \ with you? ‖
15.4.5 Tag interrogatives
Tag-interrogatives are in nature shortened Yes/No questions appended to a preceding
declarative. They are mostly negative if the preceding declarative is positive and vice versa. A
falling tone on a tag demands agreement from the listener whereas a rising tone asks for the
opinion of the listener.
It's about ︳eight o \ clock, ︱/ isn't it? ‖
You're ︳not/frightened, ︱\ are you? ‖
It's \ fine today, ︱\ isn't it? ‖
15.4.6 Imperatives
Imperatives are sometimes referred to as commands and requests. Abrupt imperatives or
commands have a falling tone. Polite imperatives or requests are said with a rising tone and
occasionally a fall-rise.
A: It's ︳most \ kind of you. ‖
B: ︳Don't \ mention it. ‖
A: ︳Can't we be / friends a.gain? ‖
B: Ad︳mit you were \ wrong, then. ‖
A: ︳Which is \ my .place? ‖
B: ︳Come and °sit beside your/ mother. ‖
A rising tag-interrogative may be appended to a command to soften it.
︳
Come over \ here a .minute ︱/ will you? ‖
︳
Come and sit \ down ︱/ won't you? ‖
15.4.7 Exclamatives
They are also called exclamations or interjections. A falling tone is common on them.
A: ︳Thank you °very \ much. ‖
B: ︳Not at \ all. ‖
A: ︳Here's \ to you. ‖
B: Your ︳very good \ health. ‖
A: I ︳hear you're °being pro \ moted. ‖
B: ︳Absolute \ nonsense! ‖
A: We're ︳going \ picnicking. ‖
B: ︳What a°good i\ dea! ‖
2. In the following conversations, B's response should be given with thefeeling or attitude as
indicated by the words in brackets. Please mark on the text the intonation you think is appropriate.
(1) A: He \ is a handsome boy, ︱\ isn't he? ‖
B: He has a lovely face. ‖ (But he's hot-tempered. )
(2) A: She is a ︳Ph \ B‖
B: A Ph D. ‖(impressed)
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(3) A: Will the/students stay in the hotel? ‖
B' Some of them. ‖ (uncertain)
(4) A: Why not go by/air? ‖
B: I can't afford it. ‖ (impatient)
(5) A: ︳How did it \ happen? ‖
B: I don't know. ‖ (reproach)
(6) A: ︳What is the ad \ dress? ‖
B: 6 Park Drive, ︱
Mountbay, ︱
Sussex. ‖ (listing)
(7) A: ︳This is °Mr \ Hunt. ‖
B: Pleased to \ meet you. ‖ (gladness)
(8) A: I've ︳lost my \ visa. ‖
B: You're silly then. ‖ (surly)
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