Intonation in English

Intonation
a language universal.
There are no languages which are spoken without any change of prosodic parameters but intonation functions in various languages in a different way.

Two main approaches
a contour analysis
a grammatical approach

A contour analysis
represented by a large group of phoneticians: H. Sweet, D. Jones, G. Palmer, L. Armstrong, I. Ward, R. Kingdon, J. O'Connor, A. Gimson and others.
the smallest unit to which linguistic meaning can be attached is a tone-group (sense-group)

A contour analysis
intonation consists of basic functional "blocks"
Intonation is a layer that is superimposed on the lexico-grammatical structure

Criticism
pay much attention to these "blocks" but not to the way they are connected
the aim of communication determines the intonation structure, not vice versa

A grammatical approach
worked out by M. Halliday.
The main unit of intonation is a clause.
Intonation is a complex of three systemic variables: tonality, tonicity and tone, which are connected with grammatical categories

A grammatical approach
Tonality marks the beginning and the end of a tone-group.
Tonicity marks the focal point of each tone-group.
Tones can be primary and secondary. They convey the attitude of the speaker.
is based on the syntactical function of intonation.

K. Pike
founder of the American school of intonation
considers «pitch phonemes» and «contours» to be the main units of intonation.
describes different contours and their meanings
but «meaning» stands apart from communicative function of intonation.

Russian linguists
on perception level intonation is a complex, a whole, formed by significant variations of pitch, loudness and tempo closely related.
speech timbre is the fourth component of intonation

Russian linguists
Neither material form of speech timbre nor its linguistic function has been thoroughly described.
speech timbre definitely conveys certain shades of attitudinal or emotional meaning
But there is no good reason to consider it alongside with the three prosodic components of intonation, i.e. pitch, loudness and tempo.

Russian linguists
the term prosody embraces the three prosodic components and substitutes the term intonation (M. Sokolova and others)
the term is widely used in linguistic literature, it causes no misunderstanding and, consequently, it is more adequate

Many foreign scholars (A. Gimson, R. Kingdon) restrict the formal definition of intonation to pitch movement alone + allowing variations of loudness.

the most important prosodic effects are those conveyed by the linguistic use of pitch movement, or melody (D. Crystal).
But
not possible to restrict “intonation” by the pitch parameters only → generally all the three prosodic parameters function as a whole though in many cases the priority of the pitch parameter is quite evident.

The functions of intonation
no general agreement
three functions of intonation: delimitating, integrating and semantic(T.M. Nikolayeva)
the semantic function → the primary and syntactic and stylistic functions → the secondary functions (L.K. Tseplitis)
main functions of intonation: communicative, distinctive (or phonological), delimitating, expressive, appellative, aesthetic, integrating (N.V. Cheremisina)

The functions of intonation
D. Crystal
Emotional function → to express attitudinal meaning - sarcasm, surprise, impatience, delight and other semantic nuances.
Grammatical function → to identify grammatical structure in speech, performing a role similar to punctuation → clause and sentence often depend on intonation.

The functions of intonation
Informational function → to draw attention to what meaning is given and what is new in an utterance → the word carrying the most prominent tone in a contour carries new information.

The functions of intonation
Textual function → to contrast and cohere larger units of meaning than the sentence.
In radio news-reading paragraphs of information can be shaped through the use of pitch.
In sports commentary changes in prosody reflect the progress of the action