Pronunciation in English is an important element of proper language learning. Without a competent statement of sounds and correct intonation, your speech will not be understandable to an English-speaking person, even if you ideally know the grammar rules and have a wide vocabulary.
That is why it is important to study sounds, intonation, other moments of pronunciation in English. But what is intonation in English? In this article we will understand what types of intonation are, and what functions it performs.
What is intonation?
In English, our Russian word "intonation" is translated as intonation. And intonation itself is an increase or decrease in voice in any particular part of a sentence. It is intonation that helps to put some emotional coloring or any other meaning into the sentence.
What is intonation for?
As already mentioned, intonation is needed mainly in order to indicate the semantic content of the text or the mood of the speaker. From setting intonation, you can learn, for example, how a person relates to you or what is happening, whether he speaks with a positive or negative emotional tone. Intonation helps to understand how angry, upset, agitated, or amicable a person is.
The meaning of the sentence changes from intonation.
In addition, intonation is needed to place commas in a sentence. Often, the whole meaning of a whole sentence depends on the correct intonation! For example, let's take the following expression (without punctuation):
You probably understand what is at stake. Depending on where and how the commas will be placed, what intonation will be conveyed in this sentence, the whole meaning of the sentence depends.
- You can’t love, hate.
- To love is not to hate.
Intonation can, for example, also highlight a word in the text, to emphasize any expression or phrase. That is why intonation (as well as punctuation marks) greatly affect not only the emotional coloring, but also the meaning of the sentence.
Components of Intonation
Intonation is the interconnection of many components. Let's try to parse them before proceeding directly to the rules of intonation in the English language.
- Melody characterizes an increase or, conversely, a decrease in intonation, of our speech as a whole. For example, we can cite the difference between the sentences and the sentences in which there is a question. Compare the following three sentences, trying to read them with the right intonation. You did it. You did it! You did it? This is precisely the difference in intonation in different sentences.
- Pace is the speed of speech, as well as pauses between parts of a sentence where punctuation marks should be. Indeed, you must admit how much the intonation of a person speaking in a hurry and a teacher who slowly explains the topic of the lesson are very different.
- The timbre just gives the sentence and intonation some emotional coloring. Thus, intonation becomes either cheerful, or sad, or excited, or even evil.
- But logical stress serves as an accent, that is, it focuses the listener on any particular phrase, word or introductory structure in a sentence.
What is intonation in English?
But in English, the most important and main component of intonation is tone. For example, these are proposals either with a question, or with a statement, or even with a request. It is divided into ascending (Rise) and descending (Fall). So the intonation here is only of these two types, and it is used in different cases. In which, it will be described below.
Descending Intonation (Fall)
One of the types of intonation in English is descending. In English, it is called Fall. If you depict this type of intonation graphically, you get a gradual line or ladder going down. Accordingly, the voice is also declining. But in what cases is descending intonation used in the English language?
- Narration, communication of any information.
In such sentences, intonation falls. Let's give an example to make it clearer. The Earth goes round the Sun. - The earth revolves around the sun. In this proposal, it is towards its end that the voice drops a little down. Try reading this sentence aloud with a descending intonation.
This means a statement that confirms something. For example: That's right. Translated as "true." Here the intonation is descending, it goes with a decrease in voice to the end of the sentence.
- Proposals that express an order or some kind of instruction, and also prompt you to do something.
In this case, as in the previous examples, the intonation is also downward. Let's do it. - Let's do it. This is another example of downward intonation in the English language.
Questions like "What is your name?" are read with downward intonation, even though these are questions.
Ascending intonation (Rise)
Another type of intonation - ascending - in the English language is called Rise. The peculiarity of this species is the allegedly incomplete proposal. In what cases is it present? We will analyze each of them in detail with specific examples.
There is always an upward intonation. Do you like tea? - Do you like tea? Even in Russian in such matters, we raise our voice towards the end of the sentence. In English, about the same thing happens.
- Words of farewell and greetings.
Such words are always read with rising intonation in the English language. Bye bye! - Bye Bye! Good bye! - Bye! Hi! - Hi! Good morning! - Good morning!
- Any request from the speaker.
Requests, questions like “can I” are used precisely with ascending intonation. May I come in? - Can I come in? Can I open the window? - Can I open the window? Intonation in English questions containing a request is always upward.
- Responses to the request, suggestions with courtesy.
Read with rising intonation. To the question in the previous example, "May I come in? - May I come in?" you can answer: Come in! - Come in, come in. In this case, the short answer has an upward intonation.
Intonation, consisting simultaneously of lowering and raising voice (Fall-Rise)
This type of intonation in the English language is called Fall-Rise Intonation. In the Russian language there is nothing like this, but it becomes clear over time, in practice.
But how to read with downward-upward intonation? Imagine immersion in water, deepening and gradual elevation of sound. First, the sound is immersed in water, and then suddenly emerges. When immersed, the sound decreases, and when diving out, it rises again. About the same thing happens with the Fall-Rise Intonation in English.
At first, you may not be able to understand. Try to listen to the speech of English-speaking people and catch this intonation in their speech.
As an example, here are some suggestions. Let's start with the lighter version, where in one sentence (syllable) the voice first decreases, and in the next it rises again.
- That's right. I will. - That's right. I will (for example, be at a party, etc.)
In this case, right is pronounced with a descending intonation, and in section I will the voice becomes higher.
A similar intonation can also occur in sentences, when there is some distance between the decrease and increase in voice. In such sentences there is a feeling of uncertainty or some doubt on the part of the speaker.
- I'm not sure if they win ... - I'm not sure if they won ...
- I think they are other ways ... - I think there are other ways ...
The first part of the sentence (I'm not sure) is read with descending intonation, and the second (if they win) is read with upward intonation.
In matters of English, the intonation is different. But in the separation there is always a descending-ascending intonation. Try reading the following sentences with the correct intonation:
- She is a doctor, isn't she? - She's a doctor, isn't she?
- He is a hard-worker, isn't he? “He is a workaholic, isn't he?”
- Sue didn't come, did she? “Sue didn't come, did she?”
- Mary have learned it, haven't she? “Mary learned that, right?”
In the first part to the decimal point, a gradual decrease in sound occurs, but in the second part containing the question, there is already an upward intonation.
Over time, it will become clear how to create the correct intonation in the English language in a sentence containing lower and higher voices. Fall-Rise Intonation is also used in sentences expressing a note of doubt, gentleness, uncertainty in the answer. This is usually a soft answer to a question. Take a look at an example:
- I think you like this book! - Not really. - I think you like this book! “Not really.”
In this sentence, it is the answer Not really that is read with a descending upward intonation.
The same intonation is often used in sentences in which there is any opposition. In these cases, in the first part, descending intonation is heard, in the second - ascending intonation.
I want to learn Chinese, but not now. “I want to learn Chinese, but not now.”
I'd like to go with you, but I have so much work today! “I would love to go with you, but I have too much work for today!”
Increase and gradual decrease in voice (The Rise-Fall)
Another type of intonation in the English language that occurs here is ascending-descending intonation, when the sound first rises and then sharply decreases. In English, it was called The Rise-Fall.
Such intonation is rarely used, but in sentences with it one feels excitement, excitement, excitement.
Logical stress
As in Russian, in English sometimes an emphasis can be placed on a particular word, in which lies the main, important meaning of any sentence. From the stress and intonation in the English language, the meaning of the sentence changes. Take a look at the examples and you’ll understand.
- Ben bought apples, not pineapples. “Ben bought apples, not pineapples.” Try using intonation to highlight the word apples. I bought it APPLES, not pineapples.
Also in this sentence, you can highlight the particle not. Logical stress is placed where the speaker wants to put it.
Intonation scale
Having studied the tones, you can go to the intonation scales. They are systems that help to understand the phonetic features of the English language. There are several basic intonation scales.
- Gradually Descending Stepping Scale + Low Fall. Such a complex name characterizes the scale often used in narration. Unstressed syllables at the same height as stressed syllables. The intonation here falls towards the end of each sentence.
- Broken Descending Stepping Scale + Low Fall. The approximate is the same as the previous one, but here some syllables are specially distinguished, forming a certain rise.
- Sliding Scale + Fall-Rise. It is characteristic of colloquial speech, everyday communication. The tone is downward. The tone begins on stressed syllables and then continues on syllables without stress.
- Scandent Scale + Low Rise. Usually this scheme is used to somehow praise someone or, conversely, to console. In this case, the tone fluctuates, then increasing on unstressed, then falling on drums.
- Ascending Stepping Scale + High Fall. In this scheme, some words are especially focused on. stressed syllables receive particular attention.
- Ascending Stepping Scale + High Rise. A scheme with an emphasis on which the proposal is built, the scheme itself conveys the importance of information.
- Low Level Scale + Low Fall. All sounds are as if below, thereby transmitting their hostility to the interlocutor.
- High Level Scale + High Fall. And here, on the contrary, all the sounds are high. When using this scheme, you feel high spirits, positive emotions.
Why is it important to be able to correctly set the intonation?
Literally everything depends on intonation: the meaning of the sentence itself and the mood of the speaker. With it, you can convey a variety of emotions (joy, sadness, disapproval, anger or cheerfulness), a predisposition to what is being said. From intonation, you can literally understand how a person reacts to a situation.
Practice and some tips
In learning any foreign language, regular classes and practice are important. Pronunciation is an important and integral part in English. After all, by studying phonetics, the correct formulation of sounds and intonation, you can achieve a competent pronunciation that will be understandable to others, including English-speaking people.
At first it’s hard enough to put the correct pronunciation, to achieve the correct sound and intonation. It is best to learn this in practice, reading aloud as often as possible, listening to English, and - most importantly - communicating with foreigners.
As a practice, many people learning English often use sites to communicate with foreigners, not only in the message format, but even via Skype or voice messages. This type of practice will perfectly deliver pronunciation, your vocabulary is developed and will simply allow you to find friends around the world and have a great time learning about the traditions of foreigners and people's lives in different parts of the world.
Try recording yourself on the recorder: at first it will be strange to listen to yourself in the recording, but in the end you can achieve a smooth and correct sound.
Ask your English-speaking friend to listen to you (again, you can meet him on the Internet) and rate your pronunciation. An English-speaking person will point out all your mistakes and help you achieve the perfect pronunciation.
Gradually, you will begin to not only correctly set the intonation and sounds, but also speak beautifully, smoothly and correctly, and this is very important when studying and mastering the English language.