Graphical representation of intonation
Intonation of different kinds of simple sentences
Intonation of enumeration, adverbials
Enumeration is represented by a number of homogeneous parts. Each of them is pronounced as aseparate intonation-group. The terminal tone of the final intonation-group depends on the communicative type of the sentence. The terminal tone of the non-final intonation-group may be different. The Low Rise or the Mid-Level is used for continuative purposes to show that there is more to be said. Frequently each following intonation-group is pronounced a bit lower than the preceding one. If the enumeration is not completed, the final intonation-group is pronounced with the Low Rise or the Mid-Level. In case the speaker wishes the enumeration to be regarded as separate items of interest, the Low Fall is used. Such sentences are pronounced in a slow deliberate way and with longer pauses.
Adverbial phrases at the beginning of a simple sentence normally form a separate intonation-group pronounced with the Low Rise or the Mid-level. In sentence final position adverbial phrases do not form an intonation-group. However, if the adverbial phrase in the sentence final position qualifies the meaning of the sentence, rather in a manner of an afterthought, added comments, it is pronounced as a separate intonation-group.
Intonation of parenthesis
Intonation of direct address
Intonation of ‘please’ and ‘thank you’
Intonation of compound sentences
Intonation of complex sentences
Intonation of the author’s words
Intonational styles and modification of sounds
Accent. Word accentual patterns
Accent is the phonetic prominence given to a particular syllable in a word, or to a particular word within a phrase. When this prominence is produced through greater dynamic force, typically signaled by a combination of amplitude (volume), syllable or vowel length, full articulation of the vowel, and a non-distinctive change in pitch, the result is called stress accent, dynamic accent, or simply stress; when it is produced through pitch alone, it is called pitch accent; and when it is produced through length alone it is called quantitative accent. English has stress accent.
Received Pronunciation
Phonostylistics
Phonostylistics is concerned with the study of phonetic phenomena and processes from the stylistic point of view. It cropped up as a result of a certain amount of functional overlap between phonetics and stylistics. Intonation plays a central role in stylistic differentiation of oral texts. Stylistically explicable deviations from Intonational norms reveal conventional patterns differing from language to language. The uses of intonation show that the information so conveyed is, in many cases, impossible to separate from lexical and grammatical meanings expressed by words and constructions in a language (verbal context) and from the co-occurring situational information (non-verbal context). The meaning of intonation cannot be judged in isolation. However, intonation does not usually correlate in any neat one-for-one way with the verbal context accompanying and the situational variables in an extra-linguistic context. Moreover, the perceived contrast with the intonation of the previous utterance seems to be relevant. One of the objectives of Phonostylistics is the study of Intonational functional styles. There are 5 style categories: 1. informational (formal) style; 2. scientific (academic) style; 3. declamatory style; 4. Publicistic style; 5. familiar (conversational) style. The usage of familiar (conversational) style is typical of the English of everyday life. It occurs both within a family group and in informal external relationships, namely, in the speech of intimate friends or well-acquainted people. In such cases it is the emotional reaction to a situational or verbal stimulus that matters, thereby the attitude- and emotion-signaling function of intonation here comes to the fore. Nevertheless intellectual and volitional intonation patterns also have a part to play. In informal fluent discourse there are examples of utterance where the effect of intellectual intonation is neutralized.