INTONATION

RHYTHM + SPEECH + TEMPO + TIMBER [tæmbә]

MELODY

STRESS

LOUDNESS TONE DURATION

PROLONGATION

AMPLITUDE OF VIBRATIONS PITCH PAUSATION

RESPIRATION RATE OF VIBRATIONS

So by intonation Russian phoneticians usually understand speech melody, pitch, stress, tone, loudness, rhythm etc. On the surface the approach looks heterogeneous, but beneath the surface there are more distinct interconnections.

Rhythm is defined as a regular co-occurrence of stressed and unstressed syllables. The definition shows that rhythm is closely connected with stress. Stress is connected with loudness (the stressed syllable is pronounced louder than others). Loudness depends upon the amplitude of vibrations (the greater the amplitude – the louder the sound). And the amplitude of vibrations in its turn depends upon the force of exhalation - that is respiration.

Speech melody is a contour consisting of different tones. A tone is either no change in pitch (level tone) or a change in pitch (fall, rise…). Pitch is based upon the rate of vibrations (see above).

Tempo is the rate of an utterance (it can normal, fast be slow). Tempo of an utterance influences the duration of the syllables. The more durable the utterance is, the more prolonged are the sounds and the syllables (prolongation). There can never be constant prolongation of sounds or syllables, that’s why there occur some pauses (pausation). The number of pauses influences the tempo of the utterance.

Timber is the quality of a musical sound, a special colouring of the speaker’s voice. It’s used to express various emotions and moods.

Conclusion. In the treatment of intonation as one thing (pitch or contour) phoneticians just single out the most important phonetic item and view it as the cause of possible semantic modifications. As to Russian phoneticians, they consider intonation to be a more complicated thing. So the attitudes, emotions and logic conveyed by an utterance are dependent on a number of intonation components.

13. SPEECH MELODY AS THE BASIC MEANINGFUL UNIT OF INTONATION
Q.13.

Speech melody is represented graphically as a contour which consists of tones. A tone is either no change in pitch (a level tone) or a change in pitch (from high to low, from low to high). Pitch depends on the rate of vibrations.

Differences in the rate of vibration correspond to differences in pitch. The slower the rate, the lowers the pitch, and the higher the rate, the higher the pitch. The rate of 70 vibrations per second corresponds to a very low note in a male voice and 1 thousand per secondgives a high note in a female voice. The VC are typically longer and heavier in the adult male than in female, and therefore they vibrate at lower rates. Though obviously there are variations of range for both males and females. The musculature of the VC is something that can be made longer or shorter and also thicker or thinner. Length and thickness as with harp strings produce slower vibrations and lower pitches; shortness and thinness produce faster vibrations and higher pitches. Our control of rate of vibration and therefore of pitch is very sensitive and we make use of it very extensively in language. A brief example of the kind of use is the difference between
a)'not vonce' meaning'never' said as a categorical reply to the question 'have you met her?' and
b) 'not v once' meaning 'many times'.
In a) the vocal cords vibration changes from rapid to slow and the pitch falls whereas in b) the reverse takes place.
Tone Logical Meaning Emotional Expression
\/ Implication Hint
/\ Antithesis, contrast, opposition Objection, great interest, rage
\ Finality Sadness, indifference, categoric attitude
/ Lack of Finality Sympathy, warmth, doubt, hesitation, suprise

The choice of rising or falling pitch marks a difference of meaning. E.g. 'he won't pay for anything'
a) HE WON'T PAY FOR \ ANYTHING (means he'll pay for nothing which case it has a fall on "anything' (он ни за что не хочет платить)
b) HE WON'T PAY FOR \/ ANYTHING (means 'he won't pay for rubbish' with a fall rise on 'anything' (он за хлам платить не собирается)

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