III. GENERAL QUESTIONS
1. General questions are most common with the low risincj tone preceded by the Falling Head or the High (Medium) Level Head. With these patterns they sound genuinely interested, eg:
VDoes he 'ever 'come to ,London? (F. H.) ^May,I,try? (H. L. H.)
2. When general questions are said with the Low Fall preced
ed by the above-mentioned types of head they are put forward as
a serious suggestion or a subject for urgent discussion, eg:
-»Shall we postpone it? (H. L. H.)
V Haven't you 'noticed the mistake? (F. H.)
3. In short questions used as responses like 'Did you?'. 'Has
she?' the Low Fall is used, eg:
Verbal Context Response
I went to the theatre last night. vDld you?
He hasn't been invited. xHasn't he?
Intonation Patterns and General Questions (Summary)
| 1. (Low Pre-Nucleus +) Low Rise ( + Tail) (Low Pre-Head +) Falling Head + Low Rise l + Tail) (Low Pre-Head +) High (Medium) Level Head + Low Rise (+ Tail) | genuinely interested |
| 2. (Low Pre-Nucleus +) Low Fall ( + Tail) (Low Pre-Head +) Falling Head + Low Fall ( + Tail) (Low Pre-Head +) High (Medium) Level Head + Low Fall ( + Tail) | serious suggestion. a subject for urgent discussion |
| 3. Low Fall + Tail | unsurprised short responses |
IV. IMPERATIVES
A. Commands
1 Commands with the Low Fall (preceded or not preceded by the Falling Head or the High (Medium) Level Head) are very powerful, intense, serious and strong. The speaker appears to t.ike it for granted that his words will be heeded, that he will be obeyed, eg:
' Try the ^other key. (H. L. H.) VCome and have 'dinner with vTom. (F. H.)
2. Commands with the High Fall (associated with the same
types of heads) seem to suggest a course of action rather than to
give an order; the speaker does not seem to be worrying whether
he will be obeyed or not, eg:
~* Put some more xmilk in it. (H. L. H.)
3. Short commands pronounced with the Low Fall alone
sound unemotional, calm, controlled, often cold, eg:
vTake it. xStop it.