Теоретическая фонетика английского языка (803492), страница 29
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PhonostylisticsNow that we have outlined the contours of the style, our next stepwill be to analyse prosodic characteristics of this particular intonationalstyle. The following prosodic parameters should be considered: pitch(variations of pitch direction, pitch level, pitch range), loudness, tempo(the rate of the utterance and pausation). It also includes rhythm andtimbre as they have very specific suprasegmental expression of variousemotional, expressive and evaluative overtones.It would be fair to admit here that when faced with a text of somekind what appears to be a mass of coordinated data a starting pointfor analysis is often difficult to choose.As it was suggested above, the ideal start is an informational text,most commonly heard in class.
The analysis of it here is carried out bythe procedure of systematic phonological opposition: the phonostylisticorganization of reading will be systematically compared with the spokenversion (in the forms of a monologue and dialogue).The description of the informational phonetic style will proceed inthe following order:1. The phonostylistic analysis of the written informational textsI(reading).2.
The analysis of the spoken variety of such texts.3. Comparative analysis of spoken and written informational monologues.b) informational texts (reading)recent years it has become fashionable in education to extol theimportance ofspoken language with a depreciation ofthe values of reading, consequently the skill in reading now is often inadequate. This situation needs considerations. As was stated, there is a gap between spokenand written varieties of the language and the task of the teacher is to differentiate these forms of the language appropriate to speech and writingand to assign to each their "proper" sphere.
It is perhaps just to say thatmany teachers and lecturers recognize the gap but are unable to improvethis state of affairs because of the lack of materials and methods.These two varieties of the language are a result of two activities thatdiffer in psychological and intellectual terms.Talking is easier than the laborious solitary acts of reading. The reluctant reader will have to be given more cogent reasons for the eftortsrequired to him. Reading aloud is even harder. In class it has purely edu5.3. Stylistic Usc ofIntonation121cational purposes to stimulate pupils or students for prose and poetryappreciation and comprehension. Needless to say a written passage doesnot always coincide with a phonopassage.
In reading aloud a writtenpassage may be broken into several phonopassages or, on the contrary,short passages may be combined into one long lasting phonopassage.As it has been mentioned, reading and speaking differ totally in thespeech production activity. In teaching to read we are simply helping totransfer from one medium to another. Reading and speaking each requires differently directed intensive efforts.
Obviously, the phonetic features of these varieties of texts will show considerable differences.We would like to start the phonostylistic analysis of the reading ofthe text, in which some customs and traditions of Cambridge Universitylife are described.May Week in Cambridge(Reading)lThe -+most 'interesting and bi'zarre time of the year to visit ,CambridgeI is during ,May Week. II This is -+neither in ,May, I nor it is aII For-+some ,reason \ which nobody now re>members I 'May Week is the 'name'given to the t first 'two 'weeks in June.
I the -+very end of the University'year. IIIThe "'paradox is "'pleasantly 'quaint. I but is "'also "'in a way "'{!]!1. II"'May Week denotes 'not so much a particular 'period q(,time I as the "'general'atmosphere ofreldxation and un,winding \ at the -+end of the year'sIAny phonostylistic analysis falls into several steps. Obviously thefirst procedure will be the description ofthe speech situation which comprises the purpose, setting and participants. In reference to this text wemay say that the main purpose of the reader is to give information.
Thespeaker sounds dispassionate and rather reserved.The presenter of the text is a student of Oxford University who hasadvanced RP accent. The reading is addressed to a group of students,Russian learners of English.The next step is to define other extralinguistic factors, the degree ofpreparedness among them. The analysed text may be characterized ashalf prepared as it was read through beforehand.communicative centre of a phrase communicative centre of a phonopassage 122Chapter V.
PhonostylisticsNow we shall look at the prosodic characteristics. One should undoubtedly beginthen into phrases, then into intonation groups, correspondingly, theof pauses is varied according to the textual units. Pauses are madewithin the phrase and between them.Among the prosodic features we should mention the following:Loudness is relatively stable and normal, but close to the phonopassage boundaries there is a gradual decrease of it. Thus it is easy to spotthe boundaries by loudness contrasts between the final and initial intonation groups of two adjacent phonopassages.
The same could be saidabout levels and ranges: there is a distinctly marked decrease of themwithin the phonopassage.The rate of utterances is normal or rather slow, not noticeably varied. Together with the medium length of pauses the general tempo maybe marked as moderate.The rhythm may be characterized as systematic, properly organized,interpausal stretches have a marked tendency towards the rhythmic isochrony.One of the main style differentiating feature) on the prosodic level isthe accentuation of the semantic centres. It is expressed commonly byterminal tones, pre-nuclear patterns, pitch range and pitch level, degreeof loudness on the accented syllables, and also by the contrast betweenthe accented and non-accented segments of the utterance.
As regardsthis particular text we may say the following:The most common terminal tone is aexpressive high falls are used; inlow-rising ones areThe -+most 'interesting and bi'zarre time ofthe year to visit ,Cambridgeis during ,May Week.Pre-nuclear patterns are not greatly varied: falling and level types ofheads prevail. Several falls within an intonation group are typical:The "'paradox is "'pleasantly 'quaint I but is "'also "'in a way 'apt.IIThe contrast between accented and unaccented segments of phrasesis not great, which is known to be a marker of any reading in general; thestress is decentralized, i.
e. equally distributed on accented syllables ofpre-nuclear patterns.5.3. Stylistic Use ofIntonation123Table 7Prosodic Characteristics of Informational Texts ReadingVOice colouringThe speaker sounds impartial, dispassionate, reserved,resonantDelimitationThe text is divided into phonopassages - phrases international groups; pauses are mostly at syntacticaljuncturcs,normally of medium length but for the end of the passageStyle-markingprosodicfeaturesAccentuationof semanticcentresLoudnessnormal (piano) throughout the text, varied at the phonopassage boundariesLevels andrangesdecrease ofleveL, and ranges within the passageRatenormal (moderate) or -slow, not variablePausesmostly syntactical of normal length, occasional emphaticones for the semantic accentuationRhythmsystematic, properly organized isochronic, decentralizedaccentuationTerminal tonescommon use offmal categoric falls; in non-final segmentsmid-level and low rising tones are often usedPre-nuclearpatternscommon u'>c offalling and level heads or several falls withinone interpausal unitContrast between accentedand unaccentedsegmentsnot greatc) informational monologues (speaking)Much has been said earlier about the differences between reading andspeak.ing.
Our aim here is to demonstrate them on the prosodic level usingconcrete examples. Now the text "May Week in Cambridge" was reproduced spontaneously by the same speaker in the form of a monologue. Hedid it in a rather formal manner and addressed the same group ofstudents.May Week in Cambridge(Reproduction)-+As you probably >know I the uni"'versities of'Oxford and ,Cambridge I arethe -+two 'oldest universities inI and be-+c;ause of>that, I because oftheir ,age I they have -+manywhich to Joreigners \ might -+appearvery ,strange. II-+One ofthese tra>ditions I is 'May Week in 'Cambridge. III This124Chapter V. Phonostylisticsis par'licu/ar/y ~trange I as it "'doesn't 'happen in ,May I and is "'not in 'fact aII It "'stretches 'over 'two weeks, the and the '8h weeks ofthe 'term.
IIThere is 'no 'real 'reason for 'calling it May, Week land per>haps \it is "'herald\ in yavour of'moreing the 'coming of'Mav I which is till "'then'serious matters \ like exami'nations. III There're many ....different ac.(ivities Iwhich ....go on during ,May,Week Ifor the "'most 'part there are 'many >playson by indi"'vidual'college so,ciefies, I "'very often 'taking place out,doors I in....College 'gardens. III There are 'alsoIwith ....crews of,eight I comraces I is when the ,aim ispeting in 'bumping races. III What [ ....mean>to I >bump I back ofthe 'boat I in front ofyou on the ....Cam ,river. IIThe purpose of the communication in the setting described accounts forthe businesslike, dispassionate, detached, impartial voice colouring. Occasionally, the speaker sounds interested, involved, especially, when he speaksabout his own experiences.Speaking about the delimitation of spoken texts it should be pointed outthat it depends on the degree ofspontaneity.
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