Теоретическая фонетика английского языка (803492), страница 18

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Thus, the impression oftheboundary between speech segments may be created by perceivable pitchchange, either stepping down or stepping up, depending on the direction ofthe nuclear tone movement.All the three components ofintonation, i. e. pitch, loudness and tempoform the intonation pattern, the basic unit of intonation.73II -IThis bed I was v not 'slept .in. IAn additional nuclear tone on this contrasts "this bed" to "other beds".Here is another example:II-+ Last tSummer v we-+ Last tSummer v wewent to 'stay with my 'sister in ,London.went to 'stay with my tSister I in ,London. IThe phrase above can be pronounced with either two or three intona­tion groups.The intonation pattern may include the following components: the nu­clear tone (nucleus), the head, the pre-head and the taiL Now we shall dwellin more detail on each of these components.Figure 10Intonation pattern and its componentsintonation pattern4.3.

Intonation Pattern as the Basic Unit of IntonationEachsyllable in the speech chain has a special pitch colouring. Some ofthe syllables are characterized by significant moves of tone up and down.Each syllable bears a definite amount ofloudness. Pitch movements areseparably connected with variations of loudness. Together with the tempoof speech they fonn an intonation pattern which is the basic unit ofinton a­tion.An intonation pattern has one nuclear tone (nucleus) and may containother stressed or unstressed syllables preceding or following the nucleartone. The boundaries of an intonation pattern may be marked by stops ofphonation, i.

e. temporal pauses.Intonation patterns serve to actualize syntagms in oral speech. A syn­tagm is a group of words which is semantically and syntactically complete.In phonetics actualized syntagms are called intonation groups (tone groups).Each intonation group may consist ofone or more potential syntagms. Forexample, the sentence I think he is coming soon has two potential syntagms:I think and he is coming soon. In oral speech it is nonnally actualized as oneintonation group.pre-headnuclear toneNot all the stressed syllables in the intonation group are of equal prom­inence. To highlight the most important word the speaker accents it, addingpitch prominence.

One of the syllables has greater prominence than theothers. It is the nucleus or the focal point (focus). The nucleus may be de­scribed as a syllable which is marked by a significant change in pitch direc­tion, i. e. where the pitch goes distinctly up or down. The nuclear tone ismost important part ofthe intonation pattern. The intonation pattern can­not exist without it.

At the same time the intonation pattern may consist ofone syllable, which will beThe nuclear tones are generally grouped into simple (Low Fall, Low Riseand others), complex (Fall-Rise, Rise-Fall) and compound (Rise + Fall +Rise). According to R. Kingdon, the most important nuclear tones in Eng­which should be included in the course of pronunciation for foreignlearners, are: Low Fall, High Fall, Low Rise, High Rise, Fall-Rise (R.

King­don, 1958). D. Crystal postulates "a major division of nuclear tones into twoT74Chapterrv. Intonationtypes: falling, the fInal direction of pitch movement being downward in eachcase, and rising, the fmal direction of pitch movement being upward. Thecategory oflevel tone retains an ambiguous status in respect of this division"(D. Crystal, 1969). According to J. \\ells "the most basic distinction amongEnglish nuclear tones is that between falling and non-falling" (J. Wells, 2006).A.

Cruttenden claims that there are three main factors which are the basis forthe classifIcation of nuclear tones in English: the initial movementnucleus: fall or rise or level; the beginning point ofthis initial movement: highor low; a second change of pitch direction following the nucleus, which pro­duces such tones as rise-fall and fall-rise. He distinguishes seven nucleartones: Low Fall, High Fall, Low Rise, High Rise, Fall-Rise, Rise-Fall andMid-Level (A. Cruttenden, 1986).The meanings of nuclear tones are difficult to specify in general terms.Roughly speaking, the falling tone of any level and range expresses "fInali­ty", "completeness", "certainty", "independence".Where is John? - He ~hasnJt ,come yet. What~., the time? - It's "'nearly'jive o',clock. A rising tone of any level and range expresses "incompleteness", "de­pendence", "uncertainty".

This tone conveys the impression that the con­versation is not fInished and something else is to follow. The rising tone isused when the speaker wants to encourage further conversation.I think I'll go now. - ~Are you ,ready? Michael is coming to London. - '>I.Is he 'coming ;I'oon? The rising tone is frequently used in polite requests, invitations, greet­ings, farewells and other strategies of social interaction.What shall I do now ? ~Do go pn. Couldyoujoin us? ~Not ,now.

The Fall-Rise is often used in English and conveys a variety of mean­ings. When used at the end of the phrase it expresses reservation, that is itasserts something and at the same time suggests that there is something elseto be said, e. g.Do you like pop-music? ~ v Sometimes. It's very interesting. v Yes, The Fall-Rise can also be used in non-final intonation groups. It ex­presses non-finality and indicates that another point is to follow:4.3. Intonation Pattern as the Basic Unit of Intonation75'" Those who 'work in the voffices I "'ought to take 'plenty of ,e:xerci~e."'When ['come Vback I we will ~talk about it a,gain.The Fall-Rise is also chosen by speakers when they want to refer tosomething already mentioned in the conversation or to the informationshared by the speakers and the hearers.Let's go to the cinema on Friday.

- I'm going to the v cinema I on ,Thurs­day.This coat is beautiful. - It's vbeautiful, I but ~very eX,pensive.1. Wells calls this nuclear toneis used when the speaker says one thing(J. Wells, 2006):Fall- Rise", because itimplies something furtherWhen can we meet? - We could meet on v Sunday (but not on Monday, butit might not suit you).The falling-rising tone, as its name suggests, consists of a fall in pitchfollowed by a rise. If the nucleus is the last syllable of the intonation groupthe fall and rise both take place on one syllable the nuclear syllable.

Other­wise the rise occurs in the remainder ofthe tone unit:Do you agree with him? - v Yes.What can I do to mend matters?You could ap,ologize to fier.Level tone is used in two main contexts. According to P. Roach, in shortutterances it conveys a feeling of saying something routine, uninterestingand boring (P. Roach, 2001). It is frequently used at intonation groupboundaries conveying non-finality.I'm afraid I can't manage it. - In vview o/'all the >circumstances I "'whv not'try a,gain ?'>I.

First we'll dis'cuss >one othing IVthen will 'pass on to a,nother.Mid- Level tone is particularly common in spontaneous speech func­tionally replacing Low Rise.We should also mention such nuclear tones as Rise-Fall and Rise-Fall­Rise. They add refmement to speech, but it is generally recommended tointroduce these tones at the advanced level, when foreign learners have al­ready mastered the basics of English intonation.We have given a very general overview of the basic nuclear tones. Eachof these tones can express other meanings in particular contexts.

Some ofthem will be considered in the section "Functions of Intonation".76Chapter IV. IntonationReturning to the structure of the intonation pattern, we should saythat the tone ofa nucleus determines the pitch ofthe rest ofthe intonationpattern following it, which is called the tail. Thus after a falling tone therest of the intonation pattern is at a low pitch. After a rising tone the restof the intonation pattern is in an upward pitch direction.,No, oMary. - ,Well, OMary.The nucleus and the tail form what is called terminal tone.The two other sections of the intonation pattern are the head and thepre~head. They form the pre-nuclear part of the intonation pattern.

Thehead contains the syllables beginning with the first stressed syllable up to,not including, the nucleus. The pre-head consists of unstressed orhalf-stressed syllables preceding the head. The head, the pre-head and thetail are optional elements of the intonation pattern.We were "'wondering ifyou could 'come to 'dinner to,morrow.The pre-nuclear part can take a variety of pitch patterns. Such varia­tions do not usually affect the grammatical meaning of the utterance,but they often convey attitudinal or stylistic meanings. The character ofpitch movements in the pre-nuclear part is often quite complex andheterogeneous.

Generally three common types of pre-nucleus are dis­tinguished: a descending type in which the pitch gradually descends tothe nucleus; an ascending type in which the syllables form an ascendingsequence and a level type when all the syllables are more or less onsame level:Descending typeAscending typeLevel type-,Compare the types ofhead in the following phrases:"'"Why are you 'making such a 'mess of it?"'"..."."Why are you 'making such a 'mess of it?....',"­ ....4.3.

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