The falling-rising tone, its usage and modal meaning

Description: The Fail-Rise is a complex tone which consists of two elements: the falling and the rising. The Fall-Rise may be realized in different forms. The choice between the form depends on the structure of the word which is pronounced with this tone.

The Falling-Rising tone may be spread over two or more syllables or it may be compressed into one syllable.

ˇYes. ˇWonderfully.

The Falling-Rising tone may cover several words or even a whole utterance. This form of the Fall-Rise is called Fall-Rise Divided. It is used when the speaker desires to emphasize the words that are between the two elements of this tone and to link them with the feeling conveyed by the Falling-Rising tone. In such a case all the syllables falling between two elements of this tone are pronounced on a low pitch level or they may gradually rise one after the other,

e.g. I’ve never ‘met them be‚fore.

Use: From the semantic point of view the falling-rising nuclear tone has an implicatory meaning: utterances with this nuclear tone give the impression that the speaker intends the hearer to understand more than the words themselves convey. The implication expressed in an utterance may be that of emphasis, hesitation, contrast, contradiction, correction, doubt, uncertainty, warning, apology, etc. In each case the exact implication stands out clearly from the context,

e.g.: 1. – They aren’t in the least alike. – They ˇare. (contradiction)

2. I’ve bought a new dress. The ˇdress | is 'very e‘legant. (emphasis)

3. – Let’s stay a little longer. – There is 'little ˇtime. (warning)

THE RISING-FALLING TONE, ITS USAGE AND MODAL MEANING

Description: The Rise-Fall is a complex tone which consists of two elements: the rising and the falling. The voice first rises from a very low to a high pitch and then quickly falls to a very low pitch.

^Yes! ^Certainly!

Use: This tone is as definite as High Wide Fall but may suggest mockery, sarcasm, irony and impatience. It also expresses what may be called a quizzical feeling. That is why the Rise-Fall is often called a quizzical tone

The Rise-Fall preceded by a Gradually Descending Stepping Head may sound mocking, sarcastic, ironical, impressed, challenging, antagonistic, teasing or reproachful:

'Why are you 'telling ^me about it?

When preceded by a Low Level Head or an Ascending Head it may sound friendly and warning:

What 'else ^could I say?

With a High Level Head or a High Pre-Head, a Rise-Fall conveys admiration, astonishment, agitation:

It 'looks ^beautiful on you!

The Rise-Fall, whose basic function is purely expressive, can also be used to emphasize the meaning of the word:

– He knows two foreign languages.

– He 'knows ^more.

Intonation of statements

Statements as well as other communicative types of utterances (questions, imperatives, exclamations) are represented in speech by their modal variants, which are distinguished by intonation. Each variant conveys a certain type of the speaker’s attitude to the listener and to the subject-matter.

STRAIGHTFORWARD STATEMENTS

These are statements which convey information in a straightforward manner without any implications. They are pronounced with the nuclear Falling tone which is normally carried by the last important word of the utterance and is commonly combined with the High Level head:

• What 'time shall we ‘meet?

—We’ll 'make it ˙Monday after‘noon.

The Falling tone in a straightforward statement may be high, low or mid, and statements pronounced with any of these pitch varieties of the Falling tone are final, complete, definite and categoric in meaning. At the same time each of them conveys a different attitude of the speaker to the situation and to the listener. Thus straightforward statements with a High Fall sound light and energetic. A Low Fall gives a considered, serious and weighty character to statements. Statements with a Mid Fall convey a neutral and calm attitude:

1. —What will you do next? — I’ll 'add some 'dry fruit.

2. — Where shall I meet you? —' Near the booking-office.

3. —Why did he run away? — I 'haven’t the 'slightest idea.

IMPLICATORY STATEMENTS

Statements pronounced with a nuclear Falling-Rising tone (Divided or Undivided) often give the impression that the speaker wants the hearer to understand more than just the meaning of the words. Such statements are called implicatory. The additional meanings implied by the Fall-Rise include contradiction, correction, contrast, hesitation, apology, warning.

— It’s one of the best German films I’ve ever seen. — It’s Iˇtalian. (correction)

— I think they have all passed the exams. — ‘Ann ‚hasn’t, (contrast)

— Take your umbrella with you. — But it 'isn’t ‘raining any ‚longer. (contradiction)

— It was his plan, wasn’t it? — I ‘think ‚so. (hesitation)

— We’ll get there in half an hour. — You are 'driving too ˇfast, ˙James (warning)

— It’s getting late. — I can 'run you ˙up to 'town in my ˇcar. (cordiality)

— You’ll stay for tea, won’t you? — Perˡhaps some ˇother time. (apology)

The nuclear Fall-Rise in implicatory statements, as is shown in the examples, can be preceded by different kind of head (High Level, Stepping, Falling), but the Falling Head with its Sliding variant is the most typical.

FRIENDLY STATEMENTS

Friendly statements are pronounced with the nuclear Low Rising tone and a high-pitched prenuclear part (Normal or High Pre-Head, High Level or Stepping Head). Utterances with this intonation pattern lack the definiteness and finality of Falling tunes and the implicatory note of the Falling-Rising ones. They sound warm and lively:

— Don’t be long, Ann. — I 'shan’t be 'later than ‚usual.

— Please, hurry up, Jane. — I’ll be 'ready in a ‚minute.