Terminal tones

I. Nuclear tones that finish any syntagm according to their function can be terminal and non-terminal.

The terminal tone is variation in pitch produced during the final stress-tone unit of the terminal intonation group.

For instance:

Our new constitution is the main law of our state

Non-terminal nuclear tone terminal nuclear tone

The terminal tone is an inseparable part of any intonation contour, because its main function is to distinguish the communicative types of utterances.

II. According to their structure the terminal tones fail into two types:

1. Consisting of the nucleous only:

He is free

2. Consisting of the nucleous with the tail:

He is busy.

III. According to the direction of the pitch change they fall into three principal groups:

1. The group of falling tones:	1. The low fall /m/ 2. The high fall /m/ 3. The rise fall /m/	Simple tones (1 & 2) A complex tone (3)
2. The group of the rising tones:	1. The low fall /m/ 2. The high fall /m/ 3. The rise fall /m/	Simple tones (1 & 2) A complex tone (3)
4. The group of the level tones:	1. The low fall /m/ 2. The high fall /m/ 3. The rise fall /m/	Simple tones (1 & 2) A complex tone (3)

The Low Fall

The nucleus of the low fall starts at or a bit below the mid pitch level of the normal range and falls to the bottom, the tail-syllables take the low pitch.

As any falling tone it is final and categoric in character. Besides, the low fall conveys some attitudes of its own, it sounds formal, serious, firm or calm, cool, reserved, phlegmatic, depending on the prehead and scale that precede it.

The low fall can be combined with any type of scale and the scale adds much to the attitudinal meaning of the pattern. The low fall preceded by the descending stepping scale is used in categoric statements, basic special questions, basic commands and exclamations.

I. /desc.st.sc. + low fall/

1. Categoric statements (businesslike, formal);

My friend is student of English.

John is mary’s brother. (llc 1)

2. Basic special questions (businesslike, serious);

When do you get to the office? (llc 14)

What do you usually do in the evening? (llc 14)

3. Basic commands (businesslike. firm);

Go and fetch some chalk.

Try to do it now.

4. Basic exclamations (businesslike, formal)

Many happy returns of the day!

Thank you very much!

5. In insistant general questions this pattern sounds serious and urgent.

Do you really leave tomorrow morning?

II. /low level sc. + low fall/

He leaves tomorrow morning (phlegmatic, detached).

Дата добавления: 2015-11-16