Wrong Pronunciation

A Frenchman who had learned English at school, but had half forgotten it, was staying in London on business. It was in the month of November, and the weather was most un­pleasant, disagreeable, damp and foggy.

The Parisian, not being accustomed to the English climate, had caught a severe cold, and was coughing day and night. At last he decided on getting a remedy for his cough but as he did not remember this English word, he looked it up in his French-English dictionary. There he found that the English for it was cough. Unfortunately his dictionary did not tell him how to pronounce it. Remembering, however, the pronuncia­tion of the word plough, he naturally concluded that cough must be pronounced [kav].

So he entered a chemist's shop and said: "Will you, please, give me something for my cow!" The chemist, thinking he had misunderstood him asked politely: "I beg your pardon, sir?"

The Frenchman repeated his request for some remedy for his cow.

"For your cow, sir?" replied the chemist. "Are you a farmer then?"

"A farmer?" answered the Frenchman rather indignantly. "What in the world makes you think so? Oh, no, I came from Paris, from beautiful Paris," he added proudly.

The chemist now almost began to think that he was dealing with a madman. In great bewilderment he asked again: "But your cow, sir? Where is your cow?"

"Here!" cried the Frenchman, coughing very loud and point­ing to his chest. "Here it is! I have a very big cow in my chest!"

Luckily, the chemist understood him and gave him the remedy he wanted.

SECTION FOUR. Intonation Pattern XI
(LOW PRE-HEAD +) FALLING HEAD+ HIGH FALL (+ TAIL)

Model: How are you finding your new job?
— æ Liking the `work im`mensely.

The High Fall starts from a higher pitch than the preceding syllable of the Falling Head.

If the head contains only one stressed word the High Fall starts from the level of the stressed syllable.

е.g. How nice!

This intonation pattern is used:

1. In statements, conveying personal concern, sounding light, airy, warm but without the disgruntled effect of Pattern X.

е.g. Why don't they work in the evenings? — `Some of them `do, I believe.

2. In questions:

a) In special questions, sounding interested, brisk, business-like.

е.g. I've just seen that new musical. — `What is it `called?

b) In general questions, conveying mildly surprised acceptance of the listener's premises; sometimes sounding sceptical, but without the impatience of Pattern X. (The ques­tion is put forward as a subject for discussion.)

е.g. Shall we try again? — Well 'would it be any `use?

3. In imperatives, sounding lively; suggesting a course of action to the listener.

е.g. The tea's too hot. — `Put some more `milk in it.

4. In exclamations, conveying mild surprise but without the affront of Pattern X.

е.g. Look, it's snowing. — `Oh, ` yes!

EXERCISES

1. Listen carefully to the following conversational situations. Concen­trate your attention on the intonation of the replies:

2. Listen tothe replies and repeat them is the intervals. Make your voice follow the intonation line exactly.

3. Listen to the Verbal Context above and reply in the intervals con­centrating your attention on the intonation line .

B) listen to a fellow-student reading the first sentence of the Verbal Context above. Reply in your own way, using Intonation Pattern XI. The drill will continue until every student has participated. Keep the exercise moving rapidly. Be careful about the intonation line and try to convey the proper attitude.

7. Read the following dialogue with a fellow-student» using Intonation Pattern XI. Special questions should sound interested, lively, brisk. The replies sound lively, friendly and warm:

A: What was that you said?

B: Where did you go for your summer holiday?

A: First to London and then to Cornwall.

B: How long did you live in London?

A: Just a week.

B: Which part of your holiday did you prefer?

A: Oh, our fortnight in Cornwall.

B: Where did you stay while you were down there?

A: In a little village near Penzance.

B: What sort of weather did you have in London?

A: The best we could possibly have hoped for.

B: What did you do there?

A Sightseeing mostly.

8. A student will read the Verbal Context below. Other students will read the replies in turn, using the High Fall and the logical stress on the same word to make the utterance emphatic. Define the attitude you are trying to express:

9. Listen to your teacher read the context sentences below. Pronounce each of the following replies in two ways: first with Intonation Pattern II, then with Intonation Pattern XI. Observe the intonation line. Convey the suggested attitudes:

10. Listen to a fellow-student say the context sentences below. Pro­nounce each of the following replies, trying to convey the suggested atti­tudes. Be careful with the intonation line. Define the Intonation Pattern of your reply:

11. listen to the Verbal Context and reply expressing critical surprise or suggesting a course of action to the listener. Use the proper intonation pattern:

12. This exercise is meant to develop your ability to hear and re­produce intonation in conversation.

a) Listen to the dialogue "Dinner-table Talk" carefully, sentence by sentence. Write it down. Mark the stresses and tunes. The teacher will help you to correct your variant. Practise reading each sentence of your corrected variant

B) Record your reading. Play the recording back immediately for your teacher and fellow-students to detect your errors. Practise the dialogue for test reading. Memorize and play it with a fellow-student.

c) Pick out of the dialogue sentences pronounced with Intonation Patterns IX, X, XI. Define the attitudes conveyed in them. Make up conver­sational situations with these phrases.

d) Make up conversational situations, using the following phrases:

13. Translate into English. Use the corresponding phrases from item(d) above. Do not let your Russian pronunciation habits interfere:

1. Я так рада, что вы смогли мне позвонить. 2. Он так рад, что я смогла его пригласить. 3. Я так рада, что вы смогли сделать это во­время. 4. Чай готов. Ужин готов. Статья готова. 5. Сколько време­ни вы находитесь в Москве? 6. Вы давно живете здесь? 7. Это твое первое представление? 8. Это ваша первая картина? 9. Это ее пер­вое сочинение? 10. Я чувствую себя на юге как дома. 11. Я чувствую себя у Петровых как дома. 12. Я чувствую себя в Петербурге как дома. 13. Простите, пожалуйста, сколько вам лет? 14. Я не рас­слышала, что вы сказали. 15. Я вас спрашивала, где вы родились. 16. Я вас спрашивала, как пройти к гостинице «Минск». 17. О, Кав­каз — превосходное место. 18. О, я думаю, Петербург — превос­ходный, город. 19. О, я думаю, это превосходный рассказ. 20. Как вам нравится наша еда? 21. Как вам нравится наша кухня? 22. Как вам нравится это утро? 23. О, это довольно скучно, не так ли? 24. О, она довольно капризна, не так ли? 25. Вообще-то она не та­кая уж плохая, если к ней привыкнуть. 26. Не хотите ли еще рыбы? 27. Не хотите ли еще овощей? 28. Суп превосходен. Обед был так вкусен. Торт великолепен. 29. Я так рада, что вам нравит­ся. 30. Я так рада, что у тебя это есть. 31. А что ты будешь есть на сладкое?

14. Head the following dialogue:

Ordering a Meal

— Is this table free, waiter?

— I'm sorry, sir, those two tables have just been reserved by telephone, but that one over there's free.

— What a pity! We wanted to be near the dance floor. Still, it doesn't matter, we'll take it... The menu, please.

— Here you are, sir. Will you dine a la carte or take the table d'hote?

— Well, let's see. What do you think, darling?

— Oh, I don't want much to eat. I'm not very hungry. I think I'll have — er — some oxtail soup and fried plaice with chips.

— Hm. I'm rather hungry. I'll start with some hors d' x uvre.

— And to follow?

— A grilled steak with baked potatoes and peas,

— Will you have anything to drink, sir?

— Well, I'm rather thirsty. Bring me half a pint of bitter. What about you, darling?

— Well, I don't care for beer, but I will have a glass of cherry.

— Very good... What sweet would you like?

— I'll have fruit salad.

— So will I. And we'll have two coffees, please.

— Black or white?

— White, please. Oh, and two liqueur brandies.

— What a lovely waltz they are playing. Shall we dance?

— Yes, I'd love to...

— Waiter! The bill, please.

— Very good, sir.

— Here you are.

— Thank you very much, sir.

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