Question

What is intonation in phonetics?

• A. The pitch variation in speech
• B. The loudness of a syllable
• C. The speed of speech
• D. The clarity of articulation

Answer 1

Answer:

A. The pitch variation in speech

Understanding Intonation in Phonetics

• Intonation refers to the variation in the pitch of the voice during speech. It's not just about individual sounds but how the melody of the voice changes across a sentence or phrase.
• It is one of the prosodic features of language, alongside stress and rhythm, which contribute to the overall musicality and meaning of spoken words.

• Key Functions of Intonation:

  • Grammatical Function: Intonation can differentiate between sentence types. For example, a falling intonation typically signals a statement or a 'wh-' question, while a rising intonation often indicates a 'yes/no' question.Example: 'You're going.' (falling) vs. 'You're going?' (rising).
  • Attitudinal/Emotional Function: It conveys the speaker's emotions, attitude, and mood (e.g., anger, surprise, excitement, boredom, sarcasm). The same words can have different meanings based on intonation.Example: 'Oh really?' can express genuine interest or sarcasm depending on the pitch contour.
  • Discourse Function: Intonation helps to organize and structure discourse, indicating new information, old information, or the speaker's focus within a sentence. It helps listeners follow the flow of conversation.
  • Accentual Function: It can highlight specific words or phrases, giving them emphasis or prominence (similar to sentence stress).

• Common Intonation Patterns:

  • Falling Intonation: Pitch falls towards the end of a statement, command, or 'wh-' question. (e.g., 'What's your name?')
  • Rising Intonation: Pitch rises towards the end, typically used for 'yes/no' questions, unfinished thoughts, or showing uncertainty. (e.g., 'Are you ready?')
  • Fall-Rise Intonation: Pitch falls and then rises, often conveying doubt, reservation, contradiction, or a polite request. (e.g., 'It's quite good...')
  • Rise-Fall Intonation: Pitch rises and then falls, expressing strong feelings like surprise, admiration, or strong agreement/disagreement.
• In English, intonation plays a crucial role in communication, often conveying more meaning than the words themselves. It helps to avoid misunderstandings and adds naturalness to speech.
• For competitive exams, remember that intonation is primarily concerned with pitch variation and its impact on meaning, sentence type, and speaker emotion.