1. Statements are most widely used with the Low (Medium) Fall preceded by the Falling Head or the High (Medium) Level Head. In all these cases they are final, complete and definite, eg:
It's ^difficult. (No Head)
I V wanted to 'go there immediately. (F. H. + L. F.)
It was ~* not so ^easy. (H. L. H.)
Note: In emphatic speech these pre-nuclear pitch sections are usually associated with the High Fall. In these cases statements sound categoric, concerned and weighty.
2. If the statement is intended to be soothing or encouraging
the last stressed syllable is pronounced either with the Low Rise
or the Mid-Level nuclear tones usually preceded by the Falling
or the High (Medium) Level Heads, eg It's ~* all > right.
Statements are also used with the low rising tone when they are intended as questions, eg You ,like it?
3. If the statement is a grumble it is pronounced with Low
Head + Low Fall, eg:
I _, didn't ex'pect to 'see you xhere.
4. If the statement is a correction of what someone else has
said or a contradiction to something previously utteTed or a
warning it is used with the Fall-Rise usually preceded by the
Failing Head of the High (Medium) Level Head, eg:
Verbal Context Response
He is thirty. He is "*- thirty- v five.
We shall go there at once. We v shan't.
I must catch the 9.30 train. . You'll be v late.
Intonation Patterns and Statements (Summary)
| 1.(Low Pre-Nucleus +) Low Fall (+Tail) (Low Pre-Head +) Falling Head + Low Fall ( + Tail) (Low Pre-Head +) High (Medium) Level Head + Low Fall ( + Tail) | complete, definite final |
| 2. (Low Pre-Nucleus +) Low Rise (+ Tail) (Low Pre-Head +) Falling Head + Low Rise ( + Tail) (Low Pre-Head +) High (Medium) Level Head + Low Rise l+Tail) | soothing, encouraging questioning, non-final, non-complete, leading to a following intonation group, grumbling |
| 3. (Low Pre-Head +) Low Level Head + Low Rise (+ Tail) | |
| 4. (Low Pre-Nucleus + ) Fall-Rise ( + Tail) (Low Pre-Head 4-) Falling Head + Fall Rise ( + Tail) (Low Pre-Head +) High (Medium) Level Head + Fall-Rise ( + Tail) | correcting, contradicting, warning |
II. SPECIALQUESTIONS
1. Special questions are most commonly used with the low
falling tone on the last stressed syllable preceded by the Falling
Head or the High (Medium) Level Head. In these cases they
sound serious, searching and business-like, eg:
I Why did you de'cide to 'do xthat? (F. H.) -»What's the .matter? (H. L. H.)
2. If one wants to show much interest in the other person or
in the subject and sound friendly and sympathetic he pronounc
es special questions with the low rising tone preceded by the,
Falling Head or the High (Medium) Level Head, eg:
V Where do you 'live ,now? (F. H.) "* What's your ,name? (H. L. H.)
3. For repeated or echoing special questions in unemphatic
usage the low rising tone on the question' word is also common,
eg:
Verbal Context . Response
1 went with Jack. ,Who did you ,go with?
It took me two hours. ,How long?
Intonation Patterns and Special Questions (Summary)
| 1.(Low Pre-Nucleus + ) Low Fall ( + Tail) (Low Pre-Head +) Falling Head + Low Fall (+Tail) (Low Pre-Head +) High (Medium) Level Head + Low Fall ( + Tail) | searching, serious, showing businesslike interest |
| 2. (Low Pre-Nucleus +) Low Rise ( + Tail) (Low Pre-Head +) Falling Head + Low Rise ( + Tail) (Low Pre-Head +) Head (Medium) Level Head + Low Rise ( + Tail) | friendly, sympathetically interested |
| 3. (LowPre-Nucleus +) LowRise (+ Tail) | echoing, repeating |