Understanding Suprasegmentals: Stress, Pitch, Intonation, and Juncture in Speech

Suprasegmentals

Features of speech that make utterances more meaningful, showing emotion, intention, or emphasis to groups of sounds.

Stress

Emphasis or prominence given to a certain syllable in a word phrase or sentence.

Word-Level Stress

Emphasizing one syllable more than others within a word.

Phrase-Level Stress

Focusing on one word in a phrase can shift the implication.

Sentence-Level Stress

Changing stress can alter intention, emotion, or meaning.

Pitch

The highness and the lowness of a tone that can significantly alter the meaning or function of a sentence.

High Pitch

Associated with excitement, enthusiasm, or questioning.

Mid Pitch

The neutral or normal pitch level in speech, often used for general statements.

Low Pitch

Can convey seriousness, authority, or even sadness.

Intonation

The rise and fall of your voice when speaking, helping listeners understand mood, purpose, or intention.

Rising Intonation

Your voice goes up at the end of the sentence, often used in yes-no questions.

Falling Intonation

Your voice goes down at the end of the sentence, used in statements and commands.

Rising-Falling Intonation

Your voice rises and then falls, used to express surprise or strong emotion.

Juncture

A pause, break, or link between words, phrases, or clauses that affects meaning perception.

Close Juncture

Words that are closely linked together with no pause.

Open Juncture

A noticeable short pause between two related thoughts or phrases.

Terminal Juncture

The strongest pause, usually at the end of a complete sentence, idea, or topic.

RECAP

Suprasegmentals are important features of speech that help express meaning clearly.

Example of Word-Level Stress

REcord (noun) → 'I kept a REcord of your grades.'

Example of Phrase-Level Stress

SHE didn't take your phone. (Someone else did.)

Example of Sentence-Level Stress

Stress on You → 'I can't believe YOU did that!' (Implying someone else should have.)

Example of Rising Intonation

Are you ready? ↗

Example of Falling Intonation

I'm going to school. ↘