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    Intonation

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    Ayomide

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Intonation

    Uploaded by

    Ayomide
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    2 views3 pages

    Intonation

    Uploaded by

    Ayomide

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 3

    INTONATION

    When we speak there are different levels of pitch we make use of. Pitch plays a
    very important role in our speech. The difference that exists in the level of
    pitch is called Intonation.
    Intonation is the variation of pitch in speech, it indicates the difference in
    statements and questions of speech and emotions of the speaker. It can be
    used to convey the nature of your sentence.
    Intonation is very important part of communication as it is a very important
    part of communication. It helps to comprehend what people say. It performs
    certain functions and they are: attitudinal function, grammatical function,
    discourse function and focusing function.
    The attitudinal function of intonation is to help express emotions and
    attitudes. The pitch indicates excitement, a sad mood. It shows their attitude
    towards the listener. A sentence could be said in different ways using different
    pitch pattern. A rising- fall tone could indicate surprise.
    Example:
     Are you ʌ serious? (It rises on “are you” and falls on “serious”)
    The grammatical function of intonation is of great importance, it indicates if
    an utterance is a statement, a question, a clause or a phrase. It basically
    identifies grammatical structure.
    Example:

     He has ↘travelled. (This is a statement)


     He has↗ travelled? (This is a question).

    A rising tone is not used always for questions, there are instances when rising
    tone is not used for asking questions. A falling tone is more suitable for wh-
    questions.
    Example:

     Has he↗ travelled?


     When did he ↘travel?

    The focusing function of intonation also referred to as accentual function of


    intonation. It recognises the end of an utterance and also helps to determine
    the most important part or word of an utterance through placing of emphasis
    otherwise called STRESS. It indicates the focus of information.
    Example:

     She wants to buy a↘ house. (The focus is on house, this informs us that
    the subject is buying a house and not a car)
     She wants to ↘buy a house. (The focus is on buy. She is buying.

    The discourse function of intonation tends to indicate the context of


    information and regulation of conversation. It indicates new information and
    that which is already known.

    There are different types of intonation and they are:


     Rising tone.
     Falling tone.
     Rising- falling tone.
     Falling-rising tone.

    Rising Intonation- Rising Intonation is an increase in an increase in the


    pitch of the voice over time. It comes in to play in the show of emotions
    such as surprise, politeness, interest and confidence, though they may
    sound different and yes or no questions. There would be a rise in pitch
    towards the end of the sentence.

    Examples:
     Are you th↗irsty?

    Falling Intonation- Falling intonation is a decrease in the pitch of the


    voice with time. It comes to play in statements, special questions, commands
    and exclamatory sentences.
    Examples:

     Where are you Go↘ing?

    Rising- Falling Intonation: Rising- falling intonation also known as peaking


    intonation is one that rises and then falls on the focus word in a sentence. The
    falling pitch indicates that the speaker has finished speaking.
    Example:
     She wants to buy a↗ ho↘ use.
    Falling- Rising Intonation: Falling- Rising intonation also known as dipping
    intonation falls and then rises. This pitch indicates agreement, doubt
    Example:
     She is beautiful↘↗ isn’t she?

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