Intonation Pattern IV

(LOW PRE-HEAD +) DESCENDING HEAD + LOW RISE (+ TAIL)

This intonation pattern is used:

1. In statements, not categoric, non-final, soothing, reassuring, (in echoes) questioning, sometimes surprised.

e.g. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my dictation, haven’t I? – It’s not so bad.

2. In questions:

a) In special questions, expressing sympathy, interest; with the nuclear tone on the interrogative word, puzzled.

e. g. I'm leaving tomorrow. - What time are you leaving?

I've just seen him in the dean's office. - You've seen him where?

I've lost the key, mother. - How did you manage to do that?

b) In general questions, expressing interest (most common pattern for general questions).

e. g. I've packed the things. - Are you ready to leave?

3. In imperatives, soothing, encouraging, calmly patronising (often addressed to children).

e. g. What shall I do? - Don't worry.

I'm leaving. - Put on your warm clothes.

4. In exclamations, encouraging, airy, often used in leave-takings and in bright and friendly greetings.

e. g Here is my translation. - Very well done!

Anything else? - No, thank you!

Accidental Rise

If the speaker wants to make one word of the descending head more prominent than the others he pronounces it a little higher than the preceding syllables thus breaking their descend­ing succession. This non-final rise is called accidental. It never occurs on the first stressed syllable as this syllable is always the highest in the descending head.

Alternative Questions

Alternative questions have the low-rising nuclear tone in the first intonation-group and the low-falling nuclear tone in the final intonation-group. The fall and the rise are of narrow range here.

Disjunctive Questions

Disjunctive questions consist of two intonation-groups. The sequence of tones in disjunctive questions depends on the attitude of the speaker towards the significance of the utterance.

The first intonation-group has generally the low-falling nuclear tone. The low-rising nuclear tone of the final intonation-group shows that the speaker is not certain of the facts expressed in the first part of the question. An answer is expected.

The low-falling nuclear tone of the tag shows that the speaker is certain of the facts expressed in the first part of the question. No answer is expected.

Intonation Pattern V

(LOW PRE-HEAD +) (DESCENDING HEAD + ) MID-LEVEL (+ TAIL)

The mid-level tone in the nucleus is pronounced on the me­dium level with any following tail syllables on the same level.

This intonation pattern is usually used in non-final intona­tion-groups expressing non-finality without any impression of expectancy.

Sequence of Tones

The simple Sentence. Intonation of Adverbials.

Simple sentences with adverbial phrases at the beginning are usually divided into two intonation-groups.

The non-final intonation-group is usually pronounced with the low-rising or mid-level nuclear tone.

e.g. At two o’clock we shall have dinner.

Adverbial phrases at the end of sentences do not form separate intonation-groups and often remain unstressed.

e.g. We are going out tonight.

Intonation Pattern VI

(LOW PRE-HEAD +) FALL RISE (+ TAIL)

Stress-and-tone marks in the text: Fall-Rise: \/ \ / \... /

This intonation pattern is used:

In statements expressing concern, reproach, contra­diction, correction, hurt feelings, sometimes soothing.

The Fall-Rise is also used in non-final intonation-groups or in sentences of different communicative types instead of the low-rising nuclear tone to draw particular attention to one of the words for the purpose of contrast or to intensify the significance of the communicative centre.

e. g. I wish we'd left earlier. — That wasn't _vmy fault.

It's so hot in this room. — I don’t think so.

You'll be thirty-five soon. — Thirty \/four.