Team

14
English
Phonology
INTONATION
INTONATION
STARTUP PRESENTATION
Meet the team!

Muhammad Zidan
Akbar Assyari

Dafa Alpahriza

Wisli Rahman Nurdin Irgi Muhammad Faddl

 Meaning

Intonation is the varying pitch of the voice in speech. When

analyzing intonation, it's crucial to listen and identify the
speaker's pitch. This can be challenging and requires a
different skillset compared to studying segmental phonetics.

Pitch is described as high or low, but some struggle to

associate a person's voice with a range from low to high.
"Remember that the terms 'high' and 'low' for pitch are
subjective. We could consider pitch as 'light' to 'heavy' or
'left' to 'right'. Those who struggle with intonation patterns
are simply having trouble connecting what they hear to this
'pseudo-spatial' representation.

If English speakers want to say yes or no in a
definite, final manner they will probably use a falling
tone - one which descends from a higher to a lower
pitch.Notice that already, in talking about different
tones, some idea of function has been introduced;
speakers are said to select from a choice of tones
according to how they want the utterance to be heard,
and it is implied that the listener will hear one-
syllable utterances said with different tones as
sounding different in some way.
Function in Intonation
If you try saying “yes” or “no” with a level tone
(rather as though you were trying to sing them on a
steady note) you may find the result does not sound
natural, and indeed English speakers do not use level
tones on one-syllable utterances very frequently.
It is perhaps a discouraging thing to say, but learners of
English who are not able to talk regularly with native
speakers of English, or who are not able at least to listen
regularly to colloquial English, are not likely to learn
English intonation, although they may learn very good
pronunciation of the segments and use stress correctl
Intonation is the varying pitch of the voice in speech. When
analyzing intonation, it's crucial to listen and identify the
speaker's pitch. This can be challenging and requires a
different skillset compared to studying segmental phonetics.
Pitch is described as high or low, but some struggle to
associate a person's voice with a range from low to high.
"Remember that the terms 'high' and 'low' for pitch are
subjective. We could consider pitch as 'light' to 'heavy' or
'left' to 'right'. Those who struggle with intonation patterns
are simply having trouble connecting what they hear to this
'pseudo-spatial' representation."
Intonation study changed in the 20th century, with different
approaches emerging. In the US, the theory evolved based
on 'pitch phonemes' (Pike, 1945; Trager and Smith, 1951),
with four pitch levels established and intonation described as
movements between them. Read a summary of this approach
in Cruttenden (1997: 38-40). In Britain, the tone-unit or
tonetic approach was developed by O`Connor and Arnold
(1973) and Halliday (1967). These theoretical approaches
have become increasingly complex. In this course, I aim to
adhere to British conventions while providing a simpler
analysis. Cruttenden (1997) provides a solid theoretical
introduction. Wells (2006) offers a more detailed analysis,
with ample recorded practice material, surpassing the current
course.
Many British analyses of intonation distinguish
between "high" and "low" varieties. For example,
O'Connor and Arnold (1973) identified "high fall" and
"low fall" (the former starting from a high pitch, the
latter from mid), as well as "low rise" and "high rise"
(the latter rising to a higher point than the former).
Some writers had high and low versions of all tones.
Compared with our separate feature of extra pitch
height (which is explained more fully in Section 18). 1)
This is unnecessary duplication. However, adding extra
pitch height to a tone does not provide all possible
detail about it. Take a fall-rise without extra pitch
height as an example.
“ Function of Intonation

Intonation adds depth and

clarity to speech, aiding
comprehension. Without it,
speech would sound
monotonous and robotic,
making it harder for
listeners to understand the
speaker's intentions.
The ways in which intonation
does this are very complex,
and many suggestions have
been made for ways of
isolating different functions.
Among the most often
proposed are the following:


i) Intonation conveys emotions and attitudes,
adding meaning to speech, known as the
attitudinal function.
ii) Intonation emphasizes stressed syllables,
highlighting important words, termed the
accentual function.
iii) Intonation aids in recognizing grammar and
structure, indicating boundaries and
distinctions, known as the grammatical
function.
iv) Intonation guides listeners on new
information, contrasts, and expected
responses, serving the discourse function.
 Conclusion
Foreign learners of English seeking to learn "correct intonation"
face challenges as intonation's complexities defy simple rules.
While some generalizations exist, they often prove too trivial or
broad to be useful. Intonation's importance in conveying attitudes
is acknowledged, but teaching or learning it is difficult due to its
multifaceted nature. Like conveying attraction, mastering
intonation requires practical experience and exposure to native
speakers rather than relying solely on textbooks. This course aims
to enhance learners' awareness and sensitivity to English
intonation through practice and interaction with speakers.

Any Question?
Thank You

Dadah