If the intonation properties of a sense-group are meant, the sense-group is called a tone unit /an intonation group.

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 425.

The intonation group is a stretch of speech which may have the length of the whole phrase. But the phrase often contains more than one intonation group.

The number of intonation groups depends on the length of the phraseand the degree of semantic importance or emphasis given to various parts of it.

One of the syllables has the greater prominence than the others and forms the nucleus, or focal point of an intonation pattern.

Formally the nucleus may be described as a strongly stressed syllable which is generally the last strongly accented syllableof an intonation pattern and which marks a significant change of pitch direction.

The tone of a nucleus determines the pitch of the rest of the intonation pattern following it which is called the tail.

The nucleus and the tail form what is called terminal tone.

The two other sections of the intonation pattern are the head and the pre-head which form the pre-nuclear part of the intonation pattern.

Prosodic componentstend to become formalized or standardized, so that all speakers of the language use them in similar ways under similar circumstances.

These abstracted characteristics of intonation structures may be called intonation patternswhich form the prosodic systemof English.

Intonation patterns which are completely colourless in meaning and provide a mold into which all sentences may be poured so that they achieve utterance represent the intonational minimum of speech.