Problems in Defining Intonation Its Components and Functions

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Contest: 1. Introduction 3 2. Intonation and its functions 5 3. The components of the intonation 11 4. Sentence stress 13 5. Specific features of the English sentence stress 15 6. The Intonation Group 17 7. The notion of “tone”. Static and kinetic tones 20 8. Conclusion 22 9. Literature 23 Introduction Every language has its own intonation, or speech melody. Intonation helps you to recognize the language that you hear in the same way as the melody of a song helps you to recognize the song that you hear. If you change the melody of a song, it will be difficult for your listener to recognize and understand the song you are singing. The same is true in reference to intonation: if you speak English with Russian intonation, your listener will have a problem understanding what you are saying. English intonation is a complicated and varied phenomenon. There are dialectal and regional differences in intonation; for example, there are quite a few differences between British and American intonation. Intonation may sound differently depending on whether the speakers have high or low voices, speak fast or slowly, loudly or quietly, energetically, emotionally, neutrally, or listlessly. Men and women may have their own differences and preferences in intonation. For the purpose of studying, this variety may be described in several intonation patterns characteristic of English speech. In general, linguists distinguish several types of English intonation. Falling intonation and rising intonation are the two basic types used in different types of sentences. These types of intonation are described in Falling Intonation and Rising Intonation. You can listen to them in Listening for Falling and Rising Intonation (AmE) and Listening for Intonation in Questions and Answers

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