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Attitudinal function
Intonation enables the speaker to express emotions and attitudes which adds a special meaning to spoken language as a difference from its written counterpart
Accentual function
Intonation helps to produce the effect of prominence on syllables that should be perceived as stressed while tonic stress on a particular syllable marks the word as the most important in the tone-unit.
Grammatical function
The listener better recognizes grammar and what is being said by using the information contained in intonation: e.g. placement of boundaries between phrases, clauses and sentences, difference between questions and statements, use of grammatical subordination, etc.
Discourse function
Intonation can signal to the listener what is to be taken as new information within the act of speaking, when the speaker is indicating a contrast or link with the material from previous tone-units and it can also make the listener feel what kind of response is expected
Attitudinal function
The same sentence can be said in different ways labelled as happy, angry, grateful, etc. Intonation differs from language to language Often pointed out that if a foreign learner does not learn proper intonation he/she may unintentionally give offence
Components of intonation:
Sequential Prosodic paralinguistic
Sequential component
Components never occur simultaneously They are: pre-head, head, tonic syllable, tail Pauses Tone-unit boundaries
Prosodic component
Characteristics of speech that are constantly present while the speech is going on: Width of pitch range Key Loudness Speed Voice quality (rhythmicality)
Paralinguistic component
Facial expressions, gestures, body language Vocal effects: laughs, sobs, ... Effects relevant to the act of speaking but not proper components of speech
Fall-rise: - uncertainty, doubt: You may be right. - Requesting: Can I buy it?
Rise-fall: - surprise, being impressed: You were first.
Accentual function
Derived from the word accent = stress Placement of stress is determined by intonation Although stress has been presented as independent of and placing of stress prior to the choice of intonation, placement of the tonic stress within the tone-unit can be regarded as part of intonation.
Examples of contrast / emphasis I want to know where hes travelling to I want to know where hes travelling from She was wearing a red dress It was very boring It was very boring You mustnt talk so loudly You mustnt talk so loudly
The rule??
Heres that book you asked me to bring Ive got to take the dog for a walk Ive got to take the dog to the vet
Grammatical function
Sentences which when written are ambiguous, and ambiguity can only be removed by different intonation: e.g. Those who sold quickly made a profit (A profit was made by those who sold quickly) Those who sold quickly made a profit (A profit was quickly made by those who sold)
Discourse function
An attempt to look at larger contexts in which sentences occur (R., p.198); sentences form part of a larger act of conversational interaction between speakers They make references to the shared knowledge
Falling tone is used to indicate new information Rising toneindicates shared or given information (R., p.199)
Intonational subordination
A case when we signal that a particular tone-unit is of comparatively low importance and give greater importance to adjacent tone-units. (R., p.200)