Intonation Functions: Grammatical and Attitudinal

Intonation Functions

Terminology of IP Structural Elements

  • PH: Pre-head
  • H: Head
  • N: Nucleus/Nuclear Tone
  • T: Tail
  • O: Onset syllable
  • Example: //the villages looked like tiny pyramids// // PHðə Hˈvɪl.ɪ.dʒɪz | ˈlʊkt . laɪk | ˈtaɪ.nɪ |Nˈpɪr.Tə.mɪdz// // . ____ . . | _____ . | _____ .| ____ . .//

Grammatical Function

  • The arrangement of an utterance according to syntactic structures.
  • Pitch pattern variations in IP.
Example
  • Statement and question
    • //it’s well worth a visit//
      • //PHL it’s NHH really well worth a NHFvisTF it// B4 8
    • //PHL it’s NHHwell worth a NFRvisTR it// B4 8

Attitudinal Function

  • The most essential function.
  • In addition to the semantic meaning, speakers can impose an attitude.
  • fall, rise, rise fall, fall rise, level
Examples
  • Written text:
    • W.S. Maugham, The Luncheon
      • “Oh, don’t say that!” I answered generously. “What would you like?” I asked, hospitable still, but not exactly effusive.
      • “I’ll do better than that,” I retorted, “I’ll eat nothing for dinner to- night.” “Humorist!” she cried gaily.

Attitudinal Function (Nuclear Tones)

  • Semantic content and situation-bound pitch attitude.
    • High fall: neutral
    • Low rise: neutral
    • Low fall: marked: boredom, resignation, surliness, reinforcing, even patronising, especially preceded by a high falling (or low drop) head.
    • High rise: marked: strengthening, emphasizing, reinforcing
    • Fall-rise: marked: doubt, uncertainty, reservation
    • Rise-fall: marked: arrogant, surprised, confident, self-satisfied, putting down, impressed
    • Collins et al. (2019); Cruttenden (2014); Lindsay (2019)

Grammatical and Attitudinal Function: Examples

Statements
  • Contemporary neutral pattern: high-level head + high fall
    • Delia’s bought a turkey from some guy in Swindon B4 8 1
    • HLH Delia’s bought a turkey from some guy in NHF SwinTdon
  • Contemporary marked pattern: high falling head + low fall (labelled also as stepping head (Roach, 2009))
    • Low fall nucleus is relatively calm, reserved, formal, might sound even patronising (Lindsey, 2019)
    • Still commonly used in announcements, TV, Radio
      • You’re listening to BBC Radio four.
        • PHYou’re HFHlistening to BBC Radio NLFfour.
  • Contemporary marked pattern: rising head + low fall
    • Common in less formal announcements, more exciting tone (Lindsey, 2019)
      • PHYou’re RHlistening to BBC Radio NLFfour.
    • The choice of the pattern depends on the target audience.
      • BBC4 - educated, ‘serious’ audience (HFH + LF)
      • BBC Radio One - pop-rock station (RH + LF)
  • Contemporary marked pattern: high-level head + fall-rise
    • Reservation, doubt, contradicting, correcting the speaker
      • I’ve finished writing the introduction. B4 8 0:50
        • PH I’ve HLH finished the writing intro NFRduc TRtion. B4 8
Commands (also exclamations)
  • Typical pattern: high falling head + low fall
    • //Shut the window// B4 8
      • //HFH Shut the NLF win TF dow// B4 8
  • Rising nucleus expresses gentler tone, if ‘please’ is added - request.
  • Typical pattern: high falling head + rise - gentler tone
    • //Meet us on Thursday // B8 1:18
      • // HFH Meet us on NR Thurs T day // B8 1:18
WH-questions
  • Contemporary neutral/business-like pattern: high falling head + low fall
    • //How can we possibly pay this bill // B4 8 1:27
      • //PH How can we HHFpossibly pay this NLF bill //
  • Friendlier: high falling head + low rise
    • //How can I help you // B4 8 1: 38
      • //HFH How can I NLR help T you //
Yes/No-questions
  • Contemporary neutral pattern: high level head + fall rise
    • //has Prue booked her flight to Paris // B4 8 1:52
      • //PH has HLH Prue booked her flight to NFR Paris //
  • Insistence: high level head + fall
    • //do we have any choice // B4 8 1:55
      • //PH do we HLH have any NF choice //
Tag-questions
  • The speaker is quite certain; request for confirmation: IP 1 HLH + HF // IP 2 F + tail
    • //he missed the train/didn’t he // B4 6
      • //PH he HLH missed the N HF train/NF didn’t T he //
  • The speaker is not certain/equivalent to a true question: IP 1 HLH + HF // IP 2 R + tail
    • //he missed the train/didn’t he // B4 6 0:12
      • //PH he HLH missed the N HF train/NR didn’t T he // B4 8 1:27

Task Examples

  • Statement unmarked/neutral (HLH + HF)
    • //it's really well worth a visit//
  • Statement marked/formal, reserved (HFH + LF)
    • //intonation works differently in every language //
  • Statement marked/showing doubt (HHL +FR)
    • // Floyd arrived this morning //
  • Wh-question neutral/business-like (HLH + HF)
    • //Who on earth can we ask to help//
  • Yes/No question neutral (HLH+ FR)
    • // Are you travelling on your own//
  • Tag-question: the speaker is not certain/equivalent to a true question: IP 1 HLH + HF // IP 2 NR + tail
    • //We don’t owe them any money / do we//
  • The speaker is quite certain; request for confirmation: IP 1 HLH + HF // IP 2 NF + tail
    • //Peter’s seen a jaguar/ hasn’t he//

Task example conversation

  • He: Ready
  • She: No
  • He: Why
  • She: Problem
  • He: Problem
  • She: Yes
  • He: What
  • She: Homework

References

  • Collins,B., Inger M. Mees, Cartley, P. (2019) Practical English Phonetics and Phonology.
  • Cruttenden, A. (2014) Gimson’s Pronunciation of English
  • Lindsey, G. (2019) English after RP. Palgrave macmillan