8) English intonation and rhythm

**Stress-timed language**

A language (such as English) where the rhythm is given by the stress, consisting of stressed syllables occurring at relatively regular intervals.

**Syllable-timed rhythm**

A rhythmic system (such as in Czech) consisting of rhythm being given by each single syllable, where the first syllable is typically always stressed.

**Foot**

A unit of rhythm consisting of a segment that starts exactly with a stressed syllable and finishes right before the next stressed syllable, completely ignoring the grammatical borders of words.

**Intonation**

A very important feature of spoken language consisting of how the pitch changes to create melody, utilizing perceptible "high" and "low" pitch differences that are much bigger in English than in Czech.

**Shortest piece of speech with intonation**

A single syllable consisting of either a level tone or a moving tone.

**Intonation movements**

Pitch movements consisting of a rising intonation, a falling intonation, or a combination of both, which have the power to change the overall purpose of a sentence.

**Complex tones**

Pitch movements consisting of a combination of directions, specifically the fall-rise or the rise-fall tones.

**Pitch range**

The individual span of voice height belonging to each speaker, which is usually the biggest in singers.

**Functions of intonation**

The main purposes of intonation in speech consisting of exactly four functions: attitudinal, accentual, grammatical, and discourse.

**Attitudinal function**

A function expressing attitude, consisting of a fall for finality and definiteness, a rise for listing and encouraging, a fall-rise for uncertainty and requesting, and a rise-fall for surprise.

**Accentual function**

A function consisting of emphasising a specific part of an utterance by placing the tonic syllable directly on the focus of the given information.

**Grammatical function**

A function distinguishing grammar rules, consisting of using a rise for questions, a fall for statements, differentiating meanings in question tags, and showing whether a relative clause is restrictive or non-restrictive.

**Discourse function**

A function consisting of focusing the listener's attention specifically on the most important aspect of the conveyed message.

**Tone unit**

The basic building block of spoken communication consisting of a sequence of linked sounds that creates melody and rhythm in parts of the same length, and which contains exactly one tonic syllable.

**Structure of a tone unit**

A sequence within which the melody changes, consisting of exactly three possible parts: the head, the tonic syllable, and the tail.

**The head**

A specific part of the tone unit consisting of the segment that starts from the very first stressed syllable up to, but strictly not including, the tonic syllable.

**The tonic syllable**

The most stressed syllable within a tone unit consisting of a fall in pitch, acting as the exact core where the melody changes and the intonation is applied.

**The tail**

A specific part of the tone unit consisting of whatever follows the tonic syllable.

**Questions intonation**

A grammatical intonation pattern consisting of a rising tone for yes/no questions to show uncertainty, and a falling tone for wh-questions.

**Question tags intonation**

A specific intonation pattern consisting of either a rising tone (when the speaker is genuinely asking and shows uncertainty) or a falling tone (when the speaker shows certainty, already knows the answer, and just expects agreement).