The rise and fall of the pitch of the voice in speech. It is used to express emotions, to convey information about the structure of a sentence, and to distinguish between different types of speech acts.
Functions of Intonation Pattern
* To express emotions: Intonation can be used to express a variety of emotions, such as anger, sadness, joy, and surprise. For example, a rising intonation at the end of a sentence can indicate that the speaker is asking a question, while a falling intonation can indicate that the speaker is making a statement.
* To convey information about the structure of a sentence: Intonation can be used to indicate the boundaries between different parts of a sentence, such as the subject, verb, and object. For example, in the sentence "The cat sat on the mat," the intonation rises on the word "cat" and falls on the word "mat," indicating that "cat" is the subject and "mat" is the object.
* To distinguish between different types of speech acts: Intonation can be used to distinguish between different types of speech acts, such as statements, questions, and commands. For example, a statement is typically made with a falling intonation, while a question is typically made with a rising intonation.
Intonation Patterns in Different Languages
Intonation patterns vary across different languages. In some languages, such as English, intonation is used to express a variety of emotions and to convey information about the structure of a sentence. In other languages, such as Chinese, intonation is not used to express emotions, but it is used to distinguish between different words.
Conclusion
Intonation is an important part of speech communication. It can be used to express emotions, to convey information about the structure of a sentence, and to distinguish between different types of speech acts. Intonation patterns vary across different languages, so it is important to learn the intonation patterns of the language that you are speaking.