Terminal Tones

Nuclear tones that finish any syntagm according to their function can be terminal or non-terminal.

The terminal tone is variation in pitch produced during the final stress-tone unit of the terminal intonation groups.

The terminal tone is an inseparable part of any intonation contour, because its main function is to distinguish the communicative types of utterances.

According to their structure the terminal tones fall into two types:

• Consisting of the nucleus only:

e.g. He is free.

• Consisting of the nucleus with the tail:

e.g. He is busy.

According to the direction of the pitch change they fall into three principal groups:

• The group of falling tones:

The Low Fall /m/ (simple tone)

The High Fall /m/ (simple tone)

The Rise-Fall /m/ (complex tone)

• The group of rising tones:

The Low Rise / m/ (simple tone)

The High Rise / m/ (simple tone)

The Fall-Rise / m/ (complex tone)

• The group of the level tones:

The Low Level /m/ (simple tone)

The Mid Level /m/ (simple tone)

The High Level /m/ (simple tone)

The Low Fall

The nucleus of the Low Fall starts at or a bit below the mid pitch level of the normal range and falls to the normal range and falls to the bottom, the tail syllables take the low pitch. As any falling tone it is final and chategorical in character. Besides, the Low Fall conveys some attitudes of its own, it sounds formal, serious, firm or calm, cool, reserved, phlegmatic, depending on the prehead and scale that precede it.

The Low Fall can be combined with any type of scale and the scale adds much to the attitudinal meaning of the pattern.

The Low Fall preceded by the Descending Stepping Scale is used in categorical statements, basic special questions, basic commands and exclamations.

Descending Stepping Scale + Low Fall

• Categorical statements (businesslike, formal)

e.g. My friend is a student of English.

John is Mary’s brother.

Mary is writing a letter.

• Basic Special Questions (businesslike, serious)

e.g. When do you get to the office?

What do you usually do in the evenings?

• Basic commands (businesslike, firm)

e.g. Try to do it now.

Go and fetch some chalk.

• Basic exclamations (businesslike, formal)

e.g. Many happy returns of the day.

Thank you very much!

• In insistent general questions this pattern sounds serious and urgent.

e.g. Do you really leave tomorrow morning?

Low Level Scale + Low Fall (phlegmatic, detached).

e.g. He leaves tomorrow morning.

The Low Rise

The Low Rise consisting of the nucleus only starts at or near the bottom of the normal voice range and rises to the mid pitch level.

e.g.  Yes,he was away.

If there is a tail to it the nuclear syllable takes the low level pitch and the tail-syllables carry the rise.

e.g. Certainly, he was busy yesterday.

The Low Rise sounds non-final, non-categorical, encouraging further conversation. Preceded by the Low Level Scale the Low Rise gives the utterance a perfunctory ring. That is why it is often called a perfunctory tone.

It can be used in all communicative types of utterances.

1. Non-categorical statements

• Descending Stepping Scale + Low Rise – encouraging further conversation

e.g. He knows it much better.

John’s Mary’s brother.

• Low Level scale + Low Rise – perfunctory

e.g. He knows it much better.

John’s Mary’s brother.

2. Special Questions

• Descending Stepping Scale + Low Rise –interested

e.g. What do you usually do in the evening?

• Low Level scale + Low Rise – perfunctory

e.g. What do you usually do in the evening?

What if we meet tonight?

3. Basic General Questions

• Descending Stepping Scale + Low Rise – really interested

e.g. Is anyone away from the lesson?

Haven’t you been at the library?

Is he studying science?

• Low Level scale + Low Rise – perfunctory

e.g. Is anyone away from the lesson?

Haven’t you been at the library?

4. Imperatives

• Descending Stepping Scale + Low Rise –encouraging

e.g. I’m so upset – cheer up,  don’t worry.

Come along,  hurry up.

5. Exclamations

• Descending Stepping Scale + Low Rise –airy, encouraging

e.g. Sorry I must be off.– So long, my dear. See you later.