JSS2 Second Term English Language Lesson Note – Intonation Patterns

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WEEK 9                               

SPEECH WORK: Intonation Patterns

STRUCTURE: Indirect/Direct Speech

COMPREHENSION/VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT: Emeka’s Family/The Media

COMPOSITION: Expository Essay

LITERATURE: Themes (Precious Little Darling)

ASPECT: SPEECH WORK

TOPIC: INTONATION PATTERN

Intonation is the ‘melody’ of speech. It is the changing pitch of the voice. It is to a certain extent controlled by stress, for important changes of pitch occur only on stressed syllables.

Intonation may indicate doubt, certainty, disbelief, interest or indifference. If for instance, a speaker answers “yes” in reply to a question, different shades of meaning can be inferred from the speaker’s intonation. This reply, when given in a falling tune, means a strong affirmation which shows that there is no doubt in the speaker’s mind. But when the same reply is given in a rising tune, it suggests some reservation in the speaker’s mind. In English language, intonation has special functions which include: grammatical and attitudinal meaning.

Types of Intonation

There are two major forms of intonation in English language. These are:

1. Falling Tune (falling intonation)
2. Rising Tune (rising intonation)

FALLING TUNE

The falling tune is usually used in declarative sentences, commands, exclamations and wh-questions (questions which demand some information). In other words, when you make a statement (that is, a sentence which says that something is so), the first stressed syllable in the sentence is high, the next one lower, and so on. On the last stressed syllable, the voice falls while you are saying it. That is falling tone.

Examples:

1. Statements
2. The books on the table are mine.
3. Joy works hard in school.
4. Emeka has given the book to her.
5. She was in a beautiful dress on Sunday.

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