Functions of Intonation by Solomon Osuokam Ogbeh

Introduction

Intonation is a critical aspect of spoken English that significantly impacts communication. It refers to the variation in pitch while speaking, which can alter the meaning of a sentence, convey emotions, and indicate questions or statements. Understanding intonation helps in comprehending spoken language better and improves one’s own spoken English.

What is Intonation?

Intonation involves the rise and fall in the pitch of the voice during speech. It is a feature of the prosody of speech, which also includes rhythm and stress. Intonation helps to:

• Distinguish between different types of sentences (e.g., statements, questions, commands).
• Express emotions and attitudes.
• Highlight the focus or new information in a sentence.

Phonetically, pitch variations are represented using a pitch contour, which shows the high and low points in an utterance.

Functions of Intonation

1. Attitudinal Function

Intonation conveys the speaker's attitude or emotions. For instance, a statement like "I'm happy" can sound sincere or sarcastic depending on the intonation. Consider the following examples:

• Sincere: ˈaɪmˈhæpiˈaɪm ˈhæpiˈaɪmˈhæpi (falling intonation)
• Sarcastic: ˈaɪmˈhæpiˈaɪm ˈhæpiˈaɪmˈhæpi (rising intonation)

2. Grammatical Function

Intonation helps distinguish between different types of sentences, such as statements, questions, and commands. For example:

• Statements: ˈɪtsˈsʌniˈɪts ˈsʌniˈɪtsˈsʌni (It's sunny.) – falling intonation
• Yes/No Questions: ɪzɪtˈsʌniɪz ɪt ˈsʌniɪzɪtˈsʌni (Is it sunny?) – rising intonation
• Wh-Questions: ˈwɒtɪzðəˈtaɪmˈwɒtɪz ðə ˈtaɪmˈwɒtɪzðəˈtaɪm (What is the time?) – falling intonation
• Commands: ˈgəʊˈhaʊmˈgəʊ ˈhaʊmˈgəʊˈhaʊm (Go home.) – falling intonation

3. Accentual Function

Intonation helps highlight the most important parts of a sentence, usually the new information. This is also known as the focus of the sentence. For example:

• ˈʃiːˈbɔːtəˈnjuːˈkɑːˈʃiː ˈbɔːt ə ˈnjuː ˈkɑːˈʃiːˈbɔːtəˈnjuːˈkɑː (She bought a new car.) – here, "new car" is the focus, indicating new information.

4. Discourse Function

Intonation aids in managing the flow of discourse and signalling the structure of the conversation. For instance, speakers use intonation to indicate when they have finished speaking or when they expect a response. This is crucial in turn-taking during conversations.

• Continuing: ˈandðenˈwiːwɛntˈɒnˈhɒlɪdeɪˈand ðen ˈwiː wɛnt ˈɒn ˈhɒlɪdeɪˈandðenˈwiːwɛntˈɒnˈhɒlɪdeɪ (And then we went on holiday...) – rising intonation suggests continuation.
• Finishing: ˈwiːˈhədəˈgreɪtˈtaɪmˈwiː ˈhəd ə ˈgreɪt ˈtaɪmˈwiːˈhədəˈgreɪtˈtaɪm (We had a great time.) – falling intonation indicates the end of the thought.

5. Information Structure

Intonation helps in distinguishing between given and new information in a sentence. Given information is something the listener already knows, while new information is what is being introduced. For example:

• Given: ˈʃiːˈsɔːˈʤɒnˈjɛstədeɪˈʃiː ˈsɔː ˈʤɒn ˈjɛstədeɪˈʃiːˈsɔːˈʤɒnˈjɛstədeɪ (She saw John yesterday.) – "She" and "John" are given information.
• New: ˈʤɒnˈboːtəˈnjuːˈkɑːˈʤɒn ˈboːt ə ˈnjuː ˈkɑːˈʤɒnˈboːtəˈnjuːˈkɑː (John bought a new car.) – "new car" is new information.

Practical Examples and Exercises

Students should practice identifying and using different intonation patterns through various exercises. These may include reading dialogues, practising with sentence strips, and recording their own speech to analyse intonation patterns.

Summary

Understanding the functions of intonation enhances both listening and speaking skills. Intonation helps convey attitudes, clarify grammatical structures, highlight important information, manage discourse, and structure information. By mastering intonation, students can improve their overall communication skills and better understand the nuances of spoken English.

Key Terms

• Intonation: Variation in pitch during speech.
• Pitch: The highness or lowness of a sound.
• Prosody: The rhythm, stress, and intonation of speech.
• Pitch Contour: A graphical representation of pitch variation in an utterance.
• Attitudinal Function: How intonation conveys emotions and attitudes.
• Grammatical Function: How intonation helps distinguish between different types of sentences.
• Accentual Function: How intonation highlights important parts of a sentence.
• Discourse Function: How intonation manages the flow of conversation.
• Information Structure: How intonation distinguishes between given and new information.

By understanding and practising these functions, students will be well-equipped to use intonation effectively in their spoken English.