Compound Tunes

FALL + RISE

All the tunes containing more than one nuclear tone are called compound.

The Fall + Rise is a combination of the High Fall and the Low Rise.

The fall and the rise always occur on separate syllables. The fall starts from a very high level and ends very low. Any syllables occurring between the High Fall and the Low Rise are said on a very low pitch. Notional words are stressed. The fall­ing part marks the idea which the speaker wants to empha­size and the rising part marks an addition to this main idea.

The combination of the High Fall with the Low Rise is used in sentences expressing highly emotional reaction to the situation. It is often heard:

1. In statements, sounding apologetic, appreciative, grateful, regretful, sympathetic, persuasively reassuring, pleading, plaintive.

е.g. Whose turn is it then? — It's `mine ,actually.

How did this get broken? — I'm most `terribly ,sorry.

2. In questions:

a) In special questions, sounding plaintive, pleading, weary, despairing; sometimes warm, sympathetic.

е.g. Sorry I'm late. — Oh why „can't you „come on _/time for once?

b) In general questions, conveying a plaintive, pleading, sometimes impatient tone.

е.g. He played very badly today. — Will he ever be any ,better d'you think?

3. In imperatives, sounding plaintive, pleading, reproachful.

е.g. It's all so depressing. — `Cheer ,up. (It can't „last for ,ever.)

I've nothing to do with it. — Now `do be ,reason-able, Charles.

4. In exclamations, warm, sympathetic, encourag­ing, sometimes plaintive, puzzled, surprised.

Greetings and leave-takings sound pleasant and friendly being pronounced this way.

е.g. Good night, Peggy. — Good night, Mrs. Smith. See you on Friday. — Right you are!

Compound Tunes two or more falls within one sense-group

In sense-groups with the High Falling or Falling-Rising nuclear tone there may be one or more other words marked by a relatively high falling tone. The function of such Falls is to provide a greater degree of prominence for the words on which they occur. All other words of the head are not stressed. The attitude expressed by the sentence is not changed but the utterance sounds emphatic. In this case the head is called Sliding.

Intonation pattern XII I. (LOW PRE-HEAD + ) HIGH RISE (+TAIL) II. (LOW PRE-HEAD + ) (HIGH HEAD+) HIGH RISE ( + TAIL)

Stress-and-tone marks in the text: High Rise | ' |

If there is no tail the voice in the nucleus rises from a medium to a high pitch.

If there are unstressed syllables following the nucleus the latter is pronounced on a fairly high level pitch and the syllables of the tail rise gradually. The syllables of the pre-head rise from a low pitch up to the start of the High Rise.

This intonation pattern is used in questions, echoing, calling for repetition or additional information, sometimes shading into disapproval or puzzlement, sometimes meant to keep the conversation going.

е.g. We shall have to return.	— Im'mediately?
It's ten feet long.	— 'How long?
What's that bowl for?	— 'What's it for?
Is it raining?	— Is it 'raining?
Careful.	— 'Careful?
Pity.	— 'Pity?