intonation (n.)

A term used in the study of SUPRASEGMENTAL PHONOLOGY, referring to the distinctive use of patterns of PITCH, or melody. The study of intonation is sometimes called intonology. Several ways of analyzing intonation have been suggested: in some approaches, the pitch patterns are described as CONTOURS and analyzed in terms of LEVELS of pitch as pitch PHONEMES and MORPHEMES; in others, the patterns are described as TONE UNITS or tone groups, analyzed further as contrasts of NUCLEAR tone, TONICITY, etc. The three variables of pitch range, height and direction are generally distinguished. Some approaches, especially within PRAGMATICS, operate with a much broader notion than that of the tone unit: intonational phrasing is a structured HIERARCHY of the intonational CONSTITUENTS in conversation. A formal category of intonational phrase is also sometimes recognized: an UTTERANCE span dominated by BOUNDARY TONES.

Intonation performs several functions in language. Its most important function is as a signal of GRAMMATICAL structure, where it performs a role similar to punctuation in writing, but involving far more contrasts. The marking of SENTENCE, CLAUSE and other boundaries, and the contrast between some grammatical structures, such as QUESTIONS and statements, may be made using intonation. For example, the change in meaning illustrated by ‘Are you asking me or telling me’ is regularly signalled by a contrast between RISING and FALLING pitch, e.g. He’s going, isn’t he? (= I’m asking you) opposed to He’s going, isn’t he! (= I’m telling you). A second role of intonation is in the communication of personal attitude: sarcasm, puzzlement, anger, etc., can all be signalled by contrasts in pitch, along with other PROSODIC and PARALINGUISTIC features. Other roles of intonation in language have been suggested, e.g. as one of the ways of signalling social background.

Intonation patterns can be seen as a sequence of pitch levels, or ‘tones’, but this use of ‘tone’ has to be distinguished from that encountered in the phrase TONE LANGUAGE, where it refers to the use of pitch to make contrasts of meaning at WORD level.

اخر الاخبار

اخبار العتبة العباسية المقدسة

قسم الشؤون الطبية يقدم الخدمات الصحية والعلاجية لزائري مدينة سامراء

العتبة العباسية المقدسة تقدم خدماتها لزائري مرقد الإمامين العسكريين (عليهما السلام) في سامراء

المجمَع العلمي ووفد وزارة التربية يبحثان سبل التعاون المشترك

قسم الشؤون الفكرية يصدر العدد 192 من مجلة الرياحين للأطفال

المزيد

الآخبار الصحية

كنز غذائي على طبقك.. ماذا تفعل السبانخ بجسمك؟

ما لا يتوقعه أحد.. "سر غذائي" في الجبن الدسم

لتحسين الهضم والنوم.. هذا أفضل وقت لتناول العشاء

10 طرق بسيطة وغير مألوفة لحرق المزيد من السعرات يوميا

المزيد

الآخبار التكنلوجية

سابقة بعالم الطيران.. طائرة تقرر الهبوط بنفسها بعد ظرف طارئ

"الإنفلونزا الخارقة" تكتسح دول العالم.. وتثير قلقا كبيرا

مرحلة ما قبل الأعراض.. دواء جديد يستهدف "شرارة" الزهايمر

إزالة ثاني أكسيد الكربون من الغلاف الجوي.. ما دور المحيطات والبحار؟

المزيد

مواضيع ذات صلة

Spelling and Pronunciation SUMMARY

American English vs. British English

Morphological Basis of English Spelling

Phoneme–Grapheme Correspondences in English Vowels

Phoneme–Grapheme Correspondences in English Consonants

Spelling and Pronunciation Irregularity of English Spelling

Structural Factors in Second Language Phonology SUMMARY

Perception

Optimality Theory (OT)

Ontogeny Phylogeny Model (OPM)

Markedness

Hypercontrast