The functions of intonation

1. To structure the information content of a textual unit

2. To differentiate the actual meaning of textual units

3. To structure a text, to define the number of terminal tones

4. To determine the speech function of a phrase

5. To convey conotational meaning of “attitude”

6. Stylistic function of intonation

The functional value of the pitch

Voice pitch and tempo are very closely connected but we’ll discuss them separately. The most evident is the distinctive function of terminal tones. The distinctive function of pitch may be proved by the system of opposition; that is by minimal pairs of sentences and intonation groups of the structure and the same lexical composition. The meaning is differentiated by voice pitch only.

Functions: 1) syntactically-distinctive function (the number of terminal tones indicates the number of syntagm. It may affect the meaning of the sentence)

Лекция № 6

1. Dialectology

A national language has two material forms: written (the literary language) and spoken (the speech of the nation). Written form is usually a generally accepted standard and is the same throughout the country. Spoken language is not so uniform, it may vary from locality to locality. Such forms are called dialects. There dialects may differ from one another in:

-grammar

-vocabulary

-pronunciation

Dialectology is the branch of phonetics which studies the dialectical differences in pronunciation, the ways language interacts with social reality, language variations caused by social difference and differing social needs.

Dialectology is connected with sociolinguistics.

Sociolinguistics is the branch of linguistics which studies different aspects of language –phonetics, lexics and grammar with reference to their social function in the society.

Such field of science as sociolinguistics or psycholinguistics are inseparably linked in the treatment of various language structures.

Functional stylistics is a branch of sociolinguistics which studies the distinctive linguistic characteristics of smaller social grouping (occupation, age, sex)

2. Different types of pronunciation of one and the same language may differ from one another in all the components of its phonetic system.

The inventory of their phonemes may be slightly different that is – they may have phonemes not found in other languages.

Ex. The Scottish variant of English has the phoneme similar to the Russian / x / non-existed in RP and most other types of English pronunciation

Loch - / lox / - озеро

Lock - / lok / - замок

The distribution of those sounds which exist in all several types of pronunciation may also differ.

Thanks to economic, political and social factors one of the local dialects becomes the literary language of the country, and the pronunciation of the dialect becomes an orthoepic standard whereas the pronunciation of the other dialects begin to be regarded as uncultured, illiterate, substandard.

Ex. Russian standard pronunciation (RSP)

2 orthoepic variants^ the difference – in the distribution of their allophones in a small number of words

Msk Leningr

/ш ь : у к ъ / / ш ь ч ь у к ъ /

/ п л а ш ь / / п л а ш ь ч ь /

/ б у л ъ ш н ъ й ъ / / б у л ъ ч н ъ й ъ /

/ м а(домиком) л о ш н ъ й ъ / / м а л о ч н ъ й ъ /

Leningrad variant is spread im large regions of the country so it may be called – Regional variant of the Standard (orthoepic) Pronunciation – variant of standard pronunciation used by educated people as a type of pronunciation which they learn in schools and colleges, from other educated people who use it

III.

British English:

• RP

• Non-RP accents of England:

1. Southern accents:

1. Greater London, Cockney, Kent

2. East Anglia accents (Northfolk, Sufffolk, Linkolnshire)

3. South-West accents (Avon, Somerset, Witshire)

2. Northern and Midland accents:

1. Northumberland, Durham, Cleveland

2. Yorkshire accents

3. North-West accents (Lancashire, Cheshire)

4. West-Midland (Birmingham, Wolverhampton)

Changes in RP:

• A tendency of the diphthongs to be smoothed out, to become shorter: [ei] in the word final position: today, say, may(почему то в транскрипции нет разницы, поэтому написала слова просто)

• Diphthongs [ai, aʊ] become smoothedwhen they are followed by the neutral sound [ə]: [taə, faə]

• Diphthongs [ɔə, ʊə] tend to be leveled to [ɔ:]: old speakers: [pɔə, pʊə], younger speakers [pɔ:, pɔ:]

• Back-advanced vowels [ʌ, ʊ] become fronted in the advanced RP [bʌt - bət], [gʊd - gəd]

• Changes in [j+u:], [l+u:]: [sju:t – su:t], [stju:dənt – stu:dənt]

• Devoiced sounds are clearly heard after long vowels and diphthongs as in: deed [di:d]

• The voiced/voiceless distinction of the minimal pairs: [sed - set], [dɒg - dɒk] may seem to be lost

• Initial “hw”, spread of “dark” [l], glottal stop: [bætʔmn], [nɒʔ kwait], lonking and intrusive [r]: far away, idea of

NON-RP ACCENTS OF ENGLISH: southern, northern and Midland

In vowels

• [ʌ] doesn’t occur in the accents of the north: flood [flʊd], one [wɒn]

• [u:] rather than [ʊ]: book [bʊk –bu:k]

• Before [f, θ, s] [æ] in pronounced instead of [a:] path [pa:θ - pæθ], dance [da:ns - dæns]

IN CONSONANTS:

- The glottal stop is more widely used than in RP. Non-RP speakers use [n] in the suffix “ing” instead of [ŋ]

- [j] is dropped after [t,s]: student : [stu:dənt], in the North after [θ] [ən`θu:ziəzm]

SOUTH ENGLISH ACCENTS

Cockney accent is a social accent the speech of working class of the Greater London:

- [ʌ] into [æi]: [blʌd - blæid]

- [i] in word final position as [I:] citi:

- Contrast between [θ] and [f] is lost: thin – [fin], the same between [ð] and [v]: weather: [wevə]

- [ŋ] into [n]: [da:nsin]

Northern Ireland English

Vowels post vocalic [r] is used in Scotland

e.x. [bird] – [bi:rd]

realisation of [a:] may vary considerably

[ai] [au] are very variable

Consonants: [l] is mainly clear

Intervocalic [t] is often avoiced [d]

e.x. city [sidi]

American English

Vowels: there is no strict division of vowels into long and short in G.A.

Some diphthongs are treated as biphonemic combinations.

The pronunciation of [r] sound between a vowel and a consonant [tɜ:^rn] – [bɜ:^rd]

American twang – naslisation of vowels when they are preceeded by a nasal consonsnt.

[j] is omitted between a consonant [u:]

e.x. [nu:z] – [s’tu:dent] [su:t] [ ́stu:pid]

Canadian English

Features common with GA on the one hand and with the RP on the other.

Most canadians use the retroflex [r] and dark [l] in all positions and pronounce [æ] in the place of [a:] in words like glass, dance, etc.

Peculiarities of English pronunciation in Australia and New Zealand are still less investigated. Perhaps the most characteristic feature of the Australian and New Zealand types of English pronunciation is the use of the diphthong [ʌi] instead of the RP diphthong [ei]

e.x. nation [nʌiʃən]

Northern and Midland accents.

In vowels: [ʌ] in [u] [lʌv] [luv]

[a:] in [æ] [d æns]

[ai] in [ei] [reit]

In consonants: -ing is [in]

[p,t,k] between vowels are accompanied by glottal stop: pity [pit?i]

Yorkshire accents

[ʌ] in [u]

[a:] in [æ]

-ing is [in]

Welsh English

In vowels: [æ] in [a:] last, dance, chance

no contrast between [ʌ] and [ə] rubber [rəbə]

[əu] may become monophthong boat [bɔ:t]

In consonants: Consonants in intervocalic position particularly when the preceding vowel is short are doubled: city [sitti:]

[l] is clear in all positions

Voiceless plosives tend to be strongly aspirated.

Scottish English.

Vowels: preserves post vocalic [r]: beer [bir]

Monophthongs are pure

[i, u, ʌ, ə] may be central

Consonants Initial [p,t,k] are usually non-aspirated

[l] is dark in all positions

-ing – [in]

V. as the result of the colonial expansion of British imperialism, the English language spread from the British Isles to all the countries on the earth. English became a national language of several countries – The U.S.A, Australia, New Zealand, and the Republic of South Africa. All the national types of English pronunciation have much in common because they are of the same origin and have a varying number of differences due to the new conditions of their development.

Southern English Pronunciation, Standard English Pronunciation, Received English Pronunciation, Public School Pronunciation or RP.

Each term has its justification as it describes one of the aspects of this type of pronunciation. In 16^th century began to acquire an exceptional social prestige in England. Since public schools existed in all parts of the country and prepared their pupils for the universities this type of pronunciation began to be recognized as a characteristic not so much as a regional as a social stratum. Dialect – speaking schoolchildren and university student felt obliged to modify their accent in the direction of the social standard and acquire this type of pronunciation, to the term RP, was introduced by D.Jones, the BBC adopted RP form for its announcers. RP is excepted as e teaching norm in most countries where English is taught as a foreign language.

British Phoneticians (Barber, gimson) estimate that nowadays RP is most homogeneous.

Gimson suggests three main types within RP:

-the conservative RP form (used by the older generation and traditionally by certain profession or social groups.)

-the general RP form (commonly in use by the pronunciation adopted by the BBC)

-the advanced form (mainly used by young people of exclusive social groups – mostly of the upper classes, but also for prestige value in certain professional circles.)

Vll The choice of the type of pronunciation to be taught in schools and colleges of the English speaking countries is determined by their own national standard or standards, teachers and learners of English in countries where it is taught as an SL are faced with the problem of choosing one of the national types of English pronunciation as the teaching norm.

Subjective criteria – one national type of pronunciation is better, more beautiful, and correct than all the others.

Objective criteria – 1) 100 m|a Americans (50 m|a speak with a Southern accent)

2) Geographical, economic, political, military and cultural factors

-the degree of the understability of this or that type of pronunciation in all the English speaking countries.

-the extent to which this or that type has been investigated and the number of textbooks in which it is accurately described and illustrated.

It is necessary in order to: 1) facilitate and accelerate as much as possible the process of teaching and learning.

2) ensure the uniformity of the learner’s pronunciation.

-the economy of mental and articulatory effort on the part of the language – learner, which contributes to the attainment of a better quality of pronunciation in a shorter period of time

-the criterion of maximum understandability applied in choosing a type of pronunciation as the teaching norm.

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