18. Просодія як один із найважливіших явищ в англійській мові (Prosody as one of the most important phenomena in the English language).

Words in speech are not used in isolation but in phrases and sentences where they are organized according to grammar rules, get different degrees of prominence. Each syllable of a word is pronounced with a different degree of pitch and loudness of the voice, and tempo of utterance. Variations in pitch, stress, and tempo are considered to be supra-segmental or prosodic. They are traditionally termed intonation.

The most important intonation effects in a language are provided by:

1) the linguistic use of pitch, or speech melody. Different levels of pitch are used in particular sequences to express a wide range of meanings. For example, all languages differentiate between a falling and a rising pitch pattern. This distinction is used to express a contrast between ‘stating’ and ’questioning’. For example: I study at Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University. Do you speak English?

2) the linguistic use of sentence stress. It is the amount of force that given to particular words or syllables in a sentence because of the particular meaning the speaker wishes to convey in a particular situation. That strength is achieved by pitch change accompanied by greater loudness, duration and more clearly defined vowel qualities. E.g.: I want YOU to do it.

3) the linguistic use of speech tempo. It is possible to speed up or slow down the rate with which syllables, words, and sentences are produced to convey several kinds of meaning. In many languages, a sentence spoken with extra speed conveys urgency. Rapidly pronounced, clipped syllables may convey irritation; slowly drawled ones - greater personal involvement, etc. For example: Go! Go! Go!

Languages are also different in rhythm. English rhythm has quite equal intervals of time between stressed and unstressed syllables. This is defined as a ‘stress-timed’ rhythm or a stress rhythm. For example: There are few boys in our group.

19. Порівняльна характеристика одиниць мови та мовлення (Units of language as compared with /vs/ speech).

Language and speech can be the two main objects of analysis in our attempt to understand the nature and functioning of oral verbal communication. We divide them into smaller units.

In their use of language speakers express themselves mainly in sentences which can be organized into texts.

Sentences consist of phrases, and phrases consist of words. Every word consists of at least one morpheme.

A morpheme is expressed in some sequence of phonemes.

The features which are present in all the allophones are distinctive features.

Thus, the units of LANGUAGE from largest to smallest are:

Text - Sentence – Phrase – Word – Morpheme – Phoneme - Distinctive feature

The UNITS OF SPEECH:

1. A spoken discourse consists of at least one utterance.

2. An utterance consists of at least one tone unit.

3. Tone units consist of smaller ‘chunks’ - rhythmic groups.

4. A rhythmic group consists of at least one syllable.

5. A syllable consists of at least one segment and usually of more than one.

6. In the articulation of a segment, the vocal organs have some particular position. Each position or movement is an articulatory feature.

Thus, the units of SPEECH from largest to smallest are:

Discource – Utterance - Tone unit – Syllable – Segment - Articulatory feature