1. Unit 7-3 Functions of English Intonation 英语语调的功能和使用 Zhou Yuhua Ningbo University of Technology

2. 2 Falling Tune Rising Tune Falling-Rising Tune

3. Falling Tune The falling tune is used basically to express definiteness and completeness ( 确定和完整 ). Declarative sentences 陈述句 Interrogative sentences 疑问句 Imperative sentences 祈使句 Exclamatory sentences 感叹句

4. Declarative sentences When used in declarative sentences, the Falling Tune expresses definiteness, completeness and subjective attitude ( 主观态度 ) of the speaker. For example: We love our ↘ country. (definiteness) It’s half past ↘ twelve. (completeness) You’ve done a good ↘ job. (subjective attitude)

5. For example: You can have ↗ tea, ↗ coffee or ↘ milk. We have ↗ Chinese, ↗ mathematics, ↗ English and other ↘ subjects. In enumerating things ( 列举事物 ), the fall is used at the end to show completeness.

6. Interrogative sentences 1)Special questions ( 特殊疑问 ) Used in special questions, the Falling Tune sounds clearcut ( 清楚 ) and straightforward ( 直接 ). The High Fall ( 高降调 ) is delightful and pleasant ( 令人愉悦 ); the Low Fall ( 低降调 ) may sometimes sound flat and unsympathetic, phlegmatic ( 冷漠 ) and agitated ( 焦虑 ), quite often hostile ( 敌意 ).

7. For example: What’s the ↘ time? When did you ↘ arrive? How long did it take you to ↘ get here? Well, when shall we ↘ meet? Why don’t you look where you are ↘ going?

8. 2) General questions ( 一般疑问 ) When a Falling Tune is applied to a general question, the speaker, who has already his own view in mind, puts the question forward as a suggestion or a subject for discussion rather than a request for immediate information ( 提出建议或 是讨论话题而不是需要一个及时的信息 ).

9. For example: Have you ↘ time this afternoon? Shall we leave it till ↘ next week? Could we go there to ↘ morrow then? Would it be any ↘ use, do you think? Are there any ob ↘ jections?

10. 3) Disjunctive questions ( 反意问句 ) The Falling Tune used in question-tags ( 附加疑问 ) in the disjunctive questions indicates that the speaker hopes to get confirmation from the listener ( 说话者希望从听者处获得信息 ).

11. For example: You have written the composition, ↘ haven’t you? The film is interesting, ↘ isn’t it? You haven’t been to Beijing, ↘ have you? She works very hard, ↘ doesn’t she? They are very useful, ↘ aren’t they?

12. Imperative sentences The Falling Tune, often used in imperative sentences, indicates enthusiasm ( 热情 ), firmness ( 坚定 ), and sincerity ( 忠诚 ). But sometimes it has the implications of coldness and sternness ( 严格 ).

13. For example: Try ↘ this one. Take a ↘ handful of them. Don’t be ↘ careless. Come whenever you are ↘ free. Don’t make so much ↘ fuss about it.

14. Exclamatory Sentences The Falling Tune is very common with exclamatory sentences and indicates strong moods and feelings, giving great weight and emphasis to them.

15. For example: How ↘ beautiful it is! How ex ↘ cited I was! What wonderful ↘ news! How ri ↘ diculous! What a lovely day for a ↘ picnic!

16. Rising Tune The Rising Tune indicates basically lack of definiteness and incompleteness. Declarative sentences Interrogative sentences Imperative sentences Exclamatory sentences

17. Declarative sentences The Rising Tune used in the declarative sentence expresses doubt. The speaker has something more to say, but the listener is expected to say something so that the conversation may be carried on. For example: You ↗ like him? (=Do you like him?) ↗ Sugar? (=Do you take sugar?) ↗ Everybody will attend the meeting? (=Will everybody attend the meeting? )

18. Interrogative sentences 1)Special questions The Rising Tune used in special questions indicates that the speaker intends to make clear about the question, sometimes it may express an interest on the part of the speaker.

19. For example: When is he ↗ coming? (Is that what you asked?) How ↗ many? (Do you wish to know how many?) ↗ Where? (Did you ask where?)

20. 2) General questions The Rising Tune is very common with General Questions; other tunes are only used in special situations. For example: Are you a ↗ student? Will you go to the ↗ factory? May I ↗ borrow it?

21. 3) Disjunctive questions The Rising Tune is used on the second part of the Disjunctive Questions, i.e. the question-tag when the speaker expects from the listener an answer, whether positive or negative.

22. For example: It’s a nice room, ↗ isn’t it? (The speaker is sure that it is a nice room, hoping to get confirmation from the listener.) We can start working, ↗ can’t we? You didn’t feel very well, ↗ did you? You haven’t finished the project, ↗ have you?

23. Imperative sentences The Rising Tune is sometimes used in imperative sentences. However, it may be used in speaking to children or in short imperative sentences. The Rising Tune sounds milder and more sincere that the Falling Tune.

24. For example: Mind the ↗ door. Don’t ↗ worry. Don’t be ↗ long. Have a good ↗ time. Don’t let me de ↗ tain you, then.

25. Exclamatory Sentences The Rising Tune is seldom used in exclamatory sentences. But short ones are read with a Low Rise, which sounds delightful with the implications of encouragement and casualness.

26. For example: ↗ Splendid! Well ↗ done! Of ↗ course! All ↗ right! O. ↗ K.!

27. Falling-rising Tune The Falling-rising Tune is also widely used in English. It combines the function of the Fall and that of the Rise with a change of mind. It is used to show contrast, reservation, implication, disagreement… Declarative sentences Interrogative sentences Imperative sentences Exclamatory sentences

28. Declarative sentences The Falling-rising Tune used in the declarative sentence indicates incompleteness and implications, such as concession, gratitude, regret, apology, request, reproach and rebut… For example: She has a lovely ↘↗ voice. (Even if her other talents are not remarkable.) I ↘↗ think so. (=But I’m not certain.)

29. Interrogative sentences 1)Special questions The Falling-rising Tune used in special questions is stronger than the Rising Tune. It expresses surprise, interest, request, sympathy, disgust and disbelief, etc.

30. For example: What’s the ↘↗ matter? What’s made you change your ↘↗ mind? What’s the ↘↗ answer? Oh why can’t you come on ↘↗ time?

31. 2) General questions The Falling-rising Tune used in the general question can express hesitation, request, agitation, exaggeration, etc. For example: Do you think you ↘↗ could? Won’t you change your ↘↗ mind? Would you mind waiting until ↘↗ Friday?

32. 3) Disjunctive questions The Rising Tune is used on the second part of the Disjunctive Questions, i.e. the question-tag when the speaker wants to ensure the truth.

33. For example: You didn’t come in the ↘↗ morning, did you? (I suppose you must have come I the afternoon.) We needn’t ↘↗ wait for him, need we? I’m older than ↘↗ you, aren’t I? You will bring it ↘↗ back, won’t you? He hasn’t been ↘↗ abroad, has he?

34. Imperative sentences The Falling-rising Tune is used in the imperative sentence expresses a warning or an urgent request. For example: ↘↗ Mind! (There’s a step here.) Wait a ↘↗ minute. Don’t be ↘↗ silly.

35. Exclamatory Sentences The Falling-rising Tune is seldom used in exclamatory sentences. However, when used, it expresses enthusiasm, appreciation, sympathy, encouragement, regret and contempt, etc.

36. For example: Poor old ↘↗ Peter! Some ↘↗ hope! What a ↘↗ pity!

37. Passage Reading --A Self-made President One ↗ day, ｜ Lincoln went to a ↘ party. ｜ At the ↘↗ gathering, ｜ Douglas was repeatedly making ↘ remarks ｜ about Lincoln’s lowly station in ↗ life ｜ and saying that he first met ↘ Lincoln ｜ when he was a shop assistant of a general ↘ store. ｜ He finally ended with his remarks by ↗ saying, ｜ “And Mr. Lincoln was a very good bartender ↘ too.” ｜

38. People burst into laughter ↗ immediately, ｜ but they quieted ↗ down ｜ when Mr. Lincoln said ↘ quietly. ｜ “ ↘ Gentlemen, ｜ what Mr. Douglas has ↗ said ｜ is true ↘ enough. ｜ I did keep a ↗ grocery, ｜ and I did sell ↗ cotton, ↗ candles, and ↘ cigars, and sometimes ↘ whisky. ｜ But I remember in those ↗ days ｜ that Mr. Doulas was one of my best ↘ customers. ｜ Many a time have I stood on one side of the ↗ counter ｜ and sold whisky to Mr. Douglas on the other ↘ side, ｜ but the difference between us now ↗ is ｜ : I have left my side of the ↗ counter, ｜ but Mr. Douglas still sticks to his as tenaciously as ↘ ever.” ｜

39. Assignment Review this unit; Practice three types of tunes in sentences; Practice the passage.

40. Thank You !