Intonation in English: A Guide to Understanding and Using Intonation, Exams of Voice

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Intonation

Intonation

Why is it important?

Intonation is a layer of meaning beyond words and helps speakers communicate meaning through the rise and fall of the voice. The patterns of rise and fall are described as ‘tones’. The different types of meaning intonation communicates include:

• grammatical meaning e.g. different tones for types of questions
• status of information e.g. main or subordinate, finished or unfinished
• attitude e.g. whether we’re certain or not, have doubts or reservations
• feelings e.g. whether we’re confident, happy, enthusiastic, sad, bored etc
• relational e.g. how ‘open’, friendly or ‘closed’ we are towards a listener, or to communicate empathy or shared feeling.

How does it work?

Like stress, intonation operates on a system of contrasts. But now the contrast is

between the movement of the voice UP () or DOWN (). Intonation can change

the meaning of what a person says even when the same words are used.

Example Communicative purpose and function

It was interesting

You are giving information. You are certain and confident about the information. This is a statement.

It was interesting (?)

This intonation could indicate that this is a question even though the grammar indicates a statement. It could also indicate that you aren’t sure or that you haven’t finished yet. Question or incomplete statement.

It was interesting …

You have more to say. Incomplete statement.

It was interesting …

You have some doubts or reservations or you want to qualify this with more information. You may also be referring to what has already been said or will be said.

It was interesting!

You want to emphasise this. Depending on the context, you may feel enthusiastic, happy or surprised. Or you may want to contrast or contradict what someone else has said. Exclamation.

UTS HELPS /Pronunciation Fact Sheet/Intonation/HZ 2010

Intonation

Intonation

Intonation helps speakers communicate meaning through the rise and fall of the voice.

Lester: Test 3 – Part 2 (scroll down to find Test 3)

Listen to Lester describing the public transport system of Hong Kong: http://legacy.australianetwork.com/passport/lester.htm

Mark in the intonation at the end of each chunk: falling intonation  rising intonation  level intonation 

In Hong Kong we’ve got a very well developed transportation system. We’ve got buses, double-deck buses, taxis, trams, ferries, underground metro and minibus. It’s, minibus is about half the size of a bus and takes around sixteen people. A lot of people take them ‘cos they’re a bit faster than normal buses. And we use the ferry for carrying people across the harbour because Hong Kong is formed by an island and a peninsula.

a) Does Lester vary his intonation?

b) What is your impression of his intonation?

c) Why do you think he chooses this pattern of intonation?

d) What would be an alternative pattern of intonation for a talk in a formal situation?

e) What would be the difference in the effect on the listener?

UTS HELPS/Pronunciation Intensive Course/MW/

Here, for thousands of years, the people of this land have journeyed from tribe to

principality to nation-state; through Reformation and Enlightenment, renowned as a

“land of poets and thinkers,” among them Immanuel Kant, who taught us that

freedom is the “unoriginated birthright of man, and it belongs to him by force of his

humanity.”

Here, for two centuries, this gate stood tall as the world around it convulsed —

through the rise and fall of empires; through revolutions and republics; art and

music and science that reflected the height of human endeavour, but also war and

carnage that exposed the depths of man’s cruelty to man.

It was here that Berliners carved out an island of democracy against the greatest of

odds.

Barack Obama in Berlin speech

Listen to it on Youtube (starts at around 2.50)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhse6js54aw

Connected Speech

Connected Speech

Weak forms can be said with stress, depending on context.

Eg. Did he throw the ball to you? No, he threw it AT me. Try the sentences below, changing the stress.

Consonant clusters are often difficult to say. Often a ‘t’ or ‘d’ sound is left out. Eg. mostly – can’t hear the ‘t’. Try the words and phrases below. Are there any ‘t’ or ‘d’ sounds left out?

Hewings, M. 2004 Pronunciation Practice Activities, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

Connected Speech

When words are said slowly all vowels are pronounced but in natural speech vowels can be left out. Eg. family – you don’t hear the ‘I’. Try the words and phrases below.

Linking - Consonant and Vowel

Hewings, M. 2004 Pronunciation Practice Activities, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

Connected Speech

Linking – Vowel and Vowel: when 2 vowels are together often a /w/, /j/ or /r/

sound is inserted.

Hewings, M. 2004 Pronunciation Practice Activities, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

Practice Text

So even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow I still have a dream. It

is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of

its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and

the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit together at the table of

brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the

heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an

oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be

judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today

Martin Luther King’s speech at

Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC

on 28 August, 1963.

Watch on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s mEqnnklfYs