Chapter 19

Functions of intonation 2

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Andrés Romero

Functions of intonation

Attitudinal functionAccentual functionGrammatical functionDiscourse functionPsychological function Indexical function

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ACCENTUAL FUNCTION

Helps to produce the effect of prominence on syllables that need to be perceived as stressed, and in particular the placement of tonic stress on a particular syllable marks out the word to which it belongs as the most important in the tone-unit.

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UTILITIES OF ACCENTUAL FUNCTION

1. HOW TO LOCATE THE TONIC SYLLABLE

The most common position for the placement of tonic syllable is the last lexical word (nouns, adjectives, words, adverbs) and not the functional words.

Ive lost myticket

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For contrastive purpose, any word may become the carrier of the tonic syllable.

Id like some orange

juice

Normal placement

I dont want to drink vapple ·juice |

Id like someorange ·juiceContrastive placement

2. MAKING CONTRAST

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For the purpose of emphasis, we may place the tonic stress in other positions.

That girl is verynice Non-emphatic position

That girl isvery ·nice

3. MAKING EMPHASIS

Emphatic position

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4. CLEARING OUT THE AMBIGUITIES

There are quite few situations where it is normal for the tonic syllable to come earlier in the tone-unit. For example, in ambiguous sentences.

I have plans toleave (I’m planning to leave)

I haveplans to ·leave(I’ve brought some

plans/drawings that I want to leave here for sb.)

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4. MARKING THE MOST IMPORTANT

Some extra information that we provide about something, is sometimes obvious or it’s been already “given”. That additional info it’s not relevant, so we mustn't place the tonic syllable there.

Ive got to take thedog for a ·walk

This is obvious

If the sentence ended with ‘to the vet’ the tonic syllable would probably be ‘vet’.

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PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTION

It refers to intonation segments of speech into units that are easy to perform, process and memorise.

316223855Three-one-six-two-two-three-eight-five-five

316 223 855Three-one-six | two-two- three | eight-five- five

INDEXICAL FUNCTION

This function along with other pronunciation features, intonation marks the speaker’s personal or social identity, e.g. someone speaking like a teacher, doctor, lawyer, etc.