Intonation

A number of authors have observed that CollSgE makes use of a much smaller number of pitch contrasts than a variety such as RP. Thus, Platt and Weber (1980: 58) note that CollSgE speakers “do not use variations in pitch to express certain differences which may be expressed partly by such variations in RP”. For example, in RP, in a sentence like Sam likes coffee, a high falling pitch on Sam could be interpreted as contradicting the assumption that nobody likes coffee. And similarly, a high pitch on the first syllable of coffee could be interpreted as contradicting the assumption that Sam doesn’t like caffeine-based beverages. In CollSgE, speakers do not generally use such forms of pitch variations to express contrastive meaning.

However, CollSgE speakers do often lengthen the final syllable as a form of emphasis. For example, when Reading! is uttered in reply to a question such as What are you doing? the final syllable of Reading! can be clearly lengthened as part of the assertion. Thus, coming back to a sentence like Sam likes coffee, a CollSgE speaker might, for emphasis, simply lengthen the final syllable of coffee regardless of whether he/she is challenging the assumption that nobody likes coffee or that Sam doesn’t like caffeine-based beverages.