1. Applied English Phonetics

2. Intonation
 Intonation
 Pitch
 Tone
 Functions of the tone
 The tone unit
 Structure of the tone unit
 Falling and rising
 Functions of Intonation

3. Intonation
 No language is spoken on a monotone
 Languages have variations of pitch
 English intonation: pitch patterns of spoken
English; the speech tunes or melodies; the
musical features of English
 Intonation is significant
 Intonation is systematic
 Intonation is characteristic
 Because word/sentence stress involves changes
in voice pitch, speakers continually modify the
fundamental frequency of their voice while
speaking in order to stress particular words in an
utterance.

4.  The modification of voice pitch is known
as intonation
A speaker’s intonation pattern cues a
listener as to the type of utterance being
spoken, i.e., a statement of fact, a
question, an exclamation, etc.
 Intonation is also responsible, in part, for
indicating a speaker’s particular mood.
 Intonation is different from
stress, however there are relations
between them.
 Range of intonation varies.

5. Pitch
 Auditory sensation experienced by the
hearer
 An individual speaker does have control
over his/her pitch and may choose to
speak with a higher pitch than normal
Pitch: High or Low

6. Tone
 Behaviour of the pitch
 One-syllable words can be said with level
tone or moving tone, however, English
speakers do not use level tones. It sounds
unnatural.
 Tone Languages imply meaning:
Mandarin Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese
 The tones are falling, rising, fall-rise,
rise-fall
 Representation of tones.

7. Structure of the tone unit
 Nucleus (Tonic syllable)
 Tail
 Head
 Pre-head

8. Functions of the English tone
 Fall ˎyes ˎno
 Rise ̗yes ̗no
 Rise-fall yes ̭no
̭
 Level _yes _no

9. Falling and Rising
Falling intonation or tune
 Statements
 Questions containing a special
interrogative word
 Commands

10. Rising Intonation
 Questions requiring the answer “yes” or
“no”
 First part of sentences
 Statements with an implication

11. Functions of Intonation
 Attitudinal function
 Accentual function
 Grammatical function
 Discourse function

12. Bibliography
• Allen, W Stannard. Living English Speech, 1954
• Celce Murcia, et al. Teaching Pronunciation, 1996
• Finch and Ortiz. A course in English Phonetics for Spanish
Speakers, 1982
• Jones, Daniel. An Outline of English Phonetics, 1967
• Roach, Peter. English Phonetics and Phonology, 2000
• Wells, J C. English Intonation. 2007