2. Rhythm practice two-stress pattern

Structures with two stressed syllables only

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This is the simplest form of two-stress rhythm. It occurs in utterances consisting of two monosyllabic words or one compound

two-syllable word when both words (or parts of a word) carry equally important information. In this case the first stress is usually static and the second — kinetic (nuclear) or else both stresses can be kinetic (e. g. Fall-Rise Divided).

1. Practise the utterances that follow, keeping to the given rhythmic pattern. -

Falling Tunes

Right now. Come 'in. 'Quite'new.

'Near'here. Be'quick. 'Over'there. 'Next'time. 'Work'hard 'Down'stairs. Rising Tunes (Low Rise)

'All /right. 'That's/fine. 'No,doubt.

'Good ,news. 'Not ,yet. 'High,time.

'Good-,bye. 'Not,now. 'Good,luck.

Falling-Rising Tunes 'Make ,haste. 'That's ' true.

'Take ,notes. 'Too ' late.

'Make ,sure. 'Bad ' news.

Come ,on. 'Quite ''old.

2. Use the utterances from Ex. I to complete the conversational contexts that follow.

Model A: — When do you want me to go?

• 'Right now.

1. When will you pay back the money? — ... 2. Where shall we place the cupboard? — ... 3. And where does Barbara live? — ... 4. Shall I wait outside? — ... 5. I'll go and changc. — ... 6. And what should I do to pass the exam? — ... 7. Is the furniture in the office old or new? — ... 8. Where is the dining-room? — ... 9. What are you going to paint first?— ...

Model B: — What do you think of this drawing?

• 'Quite ,nice.

1. I think we can do the rooms tomorrow. — ... 2. I've found Susan's address. — ... 3. Excuse me, I must be off. — ... 4. You'll have a single room with a bath. — ... 5.1 think I must apologize to my Dad. — ... 6. Well, Sue, I'll see you tomorrow, before classes. — ... 7.1 hope she'll be satisfied with our choice. — ... 8. I think we must revise for the exam. — ... 9. I'm having my exam tomorrow. — ...

Model С: — Aren't you through with your exams? — 'Not ,yet.

1. I'm afraid I'll be late for the office. — ... 2. 1 don't think I can remember all these details. — ... 3. His telephone number is 350657 or 58. — ... 4. There isn't much I can say about it. — ... 5. She's too busy about the house. — ... 6. We can only manage to come at 3. p.m. — ... 7. Jack has refused to do the job. — ...

3. Intonation of parentheses

Utterances may contain words, phrases or clauses (whether at the beginning, in the middle or at the end) which are only partially related to the main subject-matter, and without which they (utterances) remain grammatically and Semantically complete. Such words, phrases or clauses fall into the following classes:

1. Parentheses; 2. Reporting Phrases; 3. Direct Address; 4. Ap­position; 5. Insertions. The first three classes will be treated in detail in this book.

Initial Parentheses

Parenthetical words and phrases at the beginning of an utterance are used for various purposes:

1. to gain time while the speaker is framing the main remark or to call the listener's attention to what is going to follow;

2. to show the speaker's attitude towards the subject-matter: supposition, certainty, satisfaction, regret, etc. e.g.:

Unfortunately, Charles doesn't know about it. Initial parentheses often form a separate intonation-group which possesses all the typical characteristics of a non-final group: the choice of the nuclear tone in it is determined by the degree of se­mantic independence and importance attached to the parenthesis.

A common pattern for an initial parenthetical phrase is a Low Rising nuclear tone preceded by a normal (or high) prehead and high head (if there is any); e.g.:

'As you ,know, I 'words in an 'English /Utterance | are 'linked to'gether.

Parentheses pronounced with a Falling nuclear tone sound weighty and make the whole utterance more important⁴.

'By the 'way, | it's 'Tuesday, the 'is"¹. And there's 'still 'no 'news from Mr.'Robertson.

Additional emphasis or contrast is imparted to the parenthetical phrase by a Falling-Rising nuclear tone:

' Personally ^ I've 'always 'wanted to be a 'farmer. ? .⁹"" ""

Initial parentheses which are linked very closely with the main remark do not, as a rule, form a separate intonation-group. This is a common pattern for parenthetical clauses such as "/ suppose..., I believe ..., I presume ..., I'm afraid..., I think ..." etc. They may be unstressed or partially stressed, and then they form the prehead of a tune, or they may have a full stress which becomes part of the head:

I ,think 'that's my 'niece at the ,door.

. w

, I 'hope 'things will -soon im 'prove. . \

Short parentheses such as "well, now, but, oh, surely, probably, certainly, of course" frequently follow this pattern. They are unstressed or stressed according to the degree of importance attached to them:

Of 'course it's a 'splendid i,dea.

Well, 'let's -ask the 'others.

Final Parentheses

Parentheses at the end of an utterance serve to summarize or add some details to the speaker's main remark. They do not, as a rule, lorm an intonation-group of their own and are pronounced as unstressed or partially stressed postnuclear syllables (tail).

I'm 'not "good at languages, you know.

m ^¹⁰

'Jerry and his 'wife ,know him, of'course.

Additional prominence is achieved when final parentheses are said as part of the nucleus of a falling-rising tune (divided): Your ho'tel was near the 'station, I ,hope.

Parentheses in the middle of an utterance

Parentheses inserted in the middle of the principal remark usually convey a side-thought, which the speaker wishes to communicate at once without waiting until he has finished his utterance. From the point of view of intonation mid parentheses are typically inserted between two intonation-groups, which remain unchanged while the parenthesis forms an intonation-group of its own, and is pronounced on a lower pitch and at a quicker tempo than the main remark:* ■ Her 'Mum and ,Dad, | as ,far as I ,know, ^ had 'planned to '_1(I 'send her to 'UniVersity.

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A parenthesis may join the first intonation-group as a tail or as part of the nucleus:

'This ,variant, at,least, ^ can be ac'cepted.

EAR-TRAINING EXERCISES

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