24. Organizing function of intonation: delimitation and integration

Intonation is a language universal; it’s a very important component of communication because it is instrumental in conveying meanings, shades of meanings. Intonation is a powerful means of communication, so the main function of intonation is communicative. This function includes two uses or abilities of intonation:

1. its ability to discriminate the meaning (the distinctive function)

2. i ts ability to organize or structure the text (the organizing function)

Talking about the organizing function we can say that intonation serves to structure the text.

Intonation

delimitation	integration
intonation can divide the text into smaller units: phonopassages (or dialogue blocks); phrases; intonation groups	integration can combine smaller units and organize them into bigger ones: intonation groups → phrases → phonopassages → text

These processes take place simultaneously

Intonation group – is a unit of intonation containing a nuclear tone; the smallest piece of information in spoken English. (a single phrase may contain only one intonation group.) e .g. Nick ˈput the ˈbook on the ˎtable|| The number of intonation groups may change the meaning of the utterance: e .g. ˎNick | put the ˈbook on the ˎtable|| So, pauses + nuclear tones = divide the text into smaller units.

How the integration function can be performed? With the help of intonation we can show what things belong more closely together than others. So intonation connects textual units with other textual units.

+№23

25. Pragmatic function of intonation

( Здесь должно быть определение интонации, которое теоретически относится к другому билету. Intonation is an indispensable component of communication because it is instrumental in conveying meaning. In Russian linguistics intonation is viewed as a complex structure, a whole, formed by significant variations in pitch, loudness and tempo.)

The pragmatic function of intonation it consists in the use of intonation with a specific purpose, in other words intonation serves to actualize the speaker’s pragmatic aim.

It should be mentioned that the pragmatic function of intonation is realized when either the intellect or the emotions of the listener are affected. English intonation is capable of expressing a variety of attitudinal and emotional meanings, each nuclear tone and intonation pattern is associated with a certain attitudinal colouring.

The car is very expensive.

When pronounced with Sliding Head and High Fall it sounds more emotional and it affects the listener’s perception.

Emphatic pauses are often used to make the sentence more expressive.

The car is very|expensive.

Variations in pitch, loudness and tempo serve to make the utterance more expressive and thus they realize the pragmatic function.

The pragmatic function of intonation can be traced in all kinds of communication. Admittedly, it is especially relevant in declamatory style and in public speaking. Sometimes it is referred to as rhetorical function.

Besides conveying information intonation is used to affect, impress the listeners and so it perform the pragmatic function. It’s pretty obvious that it is not only what you say but also how you say it that makes communication effective.