English Intonation. Its Components.

The sentence possesses definite phonetic features. Each feature performs a definite task, and all of them work simultaneously. Thus,

1. Sentences are usually separated from each other by pauses. If necessary, the sentence is subdivided into shorter word groups according to sense; these are called sense groups, or syntagms.

2. The pitch of the voice does not stay on the same level while the sentence is pronounced; it fluctuates, rising and falling on the vowels and voiced consonants. The fluctuations of the voice pitch are called speech melody.

3. The word that is most important for the meaning of the sentence, i. e. the word acting as its semantic centre, is made prominent by stress and a special moving tone.

4. Other words, also essential for the meaning, are stressed but the pitch of these words remains unchanged.

5. Form words, performing grammatical functions (such as articles, prepositions, auxiliary, modal and link verbs) are usually left unstressed; they are mostly pronounced in their reduced (weak) forms.

6. Connected English speech comes as a series of closely knit groups of words, each group containing only one stressed syllable. The stressed syllables occur at approximately equal intervals of time. This interrelationship of stress and time makes rhythm.

7. The rate of speech is not constant, but is made to suit the semantic weight of each sense group of the utterance.

8. The timbre of the voice changes in accordance with the emotions experienced by the speaker.

All the phonetic features of the sentence enumerated above (speech melody, sentence stress, tempo, rhythm, pauses and timbre) form a complex unity, called intonation.

The most important components of intonation from the linguistic point of view are speech melody, sentence stress, and rhythm.

Communicative Types of Sentences

The communicative type of a sentence is a linguistic category differentiated in speech in accordance with the aim of the utterance. There are 4 types of them. They are:

1. Statements (categoric, non-categoric, implicatory).

2. Questions (special, general, alternative, disjunctive).

3. Imperatives (commands, requests).

4. Exclamations.

The Segments of Intonation Group

The intonation contour of an extended syntagm consists of three functionally important parts:

1. The pre-head.

2. The scale, or head.

3. The terminal tone.

4. The tail.

I have been doing English at the institute.

Types of Pre-Heads

A low pre-head consists of unstressed syllables pronounced at a low pitch, or gradually ascending in pitch towards the head or the nucleus:

e.g. But you’ll be home in time for dinner?

A high pre-head consists of unstressed syllables pronounced on a high pitch. A high pre-head gives to the utterance an extremely emotional character and may be regarded as a feature of emphatic speech.

e. g. How can you be so obstinate?

The System of Scales

The Scale is a phonetic unit that begins with the head group and extends to the terminal tone.

Scales can be classified as follows:

1) According to the arrangement of unstressed syllables within stress-tone groups can be:

• Stepping

e.g. Ourclasses begin at three o’clock.

• Sliding

e.g. Our classes begin at three o’clock.

• Scandent

e.g. Our classes begin at three o’clock.

2) According to the direction of the pitch movement the scales can be classified as:

• The Descending Scale (Stepping, Sliding, Scandent)

e.g. Hepromised to be intime.

Hepromised tobe intime.

Hepromised to be intime.

•The Ascending Scale (Stepping, Sliding, Scandent)

e.g. Hepromised to be intime.

Hepromised tobe intime.

Hepromised to be intime.

• The Level Scale (Low, Mid, High)

e.g. Hepromised to come intime.

Hepromised tocome in time.

Hepromised tocome intime.

3) According to the regularity of their pitch movements scales can be:

• Regular

• Broken

e.g. Hepromised tocome in ↑half an hour.

Hepromised tocome in ↑half an hour.

The function of the scale lies in the fact that it helps to convey different emotions. We can call this function attitudinal.