THE TEN TONE GROUPS THE TEN TONE GROUPS

THE LOW DROP THE HIGH BOUNCE

(Low Pre-Head+) (High Head+) Low Fall (+tail)
cool, detached, dispassionate, reserved, dull, hostile,
serious
(Low Pre-Head+) (High Head+) High Rise (+tail)
questioning, trying to elicit a repetition, echoing the
question

ǀaɪ həʊp ɪtl bi ə lesn̩ tə juǁ |bifɔ: wenǁ


THE HIGH DROP
(Low Pre-Head+) (High Head+) High Fall (+tail)
THE JACKKNIFE
involvement, light, airy, considered, friendly, (Low Pre-Head+) (High Head+) Rise-Fall (+tail)
enthusiasm impressed, challenging, disclaiming responsibility

Wh- QUESTIONS |æbsəlu:tli terəbl ̩ǁ

ǀhi dʌzn̩ rɪəli nəʊ ði ɑ:nsəǁ
THE TAKE-OFF
(Low Pre-Head+) (Low Head+) Low Rise (+tail)
encouragement to further conversation,
deprecatory, resentful, wondering, mildly, sceptical
|ɪts veri naɪs əv juǁ
THE LOW BOUNCE
(Low Pre-Head+) High Head+ Low Rise (+tail)
soothing, reassuring, genuinely interested,
encouraging, calmly patronising
THE HIGH DIVE
(Low Pre-Head+) (High Head+) High Fall + Low
Rise (+tail)
appealing to the speaker to continue; expressing
gladness, regret, surprise
|ju nəʊ peɪntɪŋ ɪz veri rilæksɪŋǁ
THE TERRACE
(Low Pre-Head+) (High head+) Mid-level (+tail)
marking non-finality, without conveying
expectancy; calling out to someone as from a
distance

YES/NO QUESTIONS |bət waɪ wəz ʧɑ:lz|

səʊ vaɪələntli əpəʊz tu ɪtǁ
|aɪ prɒmɪs aɪ wəʊn tel enɪwʌnǁ
Bibliography
THE SWITCHBACK O'Connor, J. D., and G. F. Arnold. Intonation of
(Low Pre-Head+) (Falling Head+) Fall-Rise
(+tail) Colloquial English. A Practical Handbook. 2nd ed.
dissenting, concerned, astonished, surprised, London: Longman, 1973.
scornful

|keəfl ̩ wɪð ðæt ɡlɑ:sǁ

THE LONG JUMP

(Low Pre-Head+) Rising Head + High Fall (+tail)
Protest

|haʊ ɒn ɜ:θ dɪd i mænɪʤ tə ɡet hɪəǁ