Lesson 7 Intonation and Juncture

INTONATION

Stervich says that intonation is the envelope into which meanings of phrases, sentences or clauses
are tucked. Fries agrees with him when he says that intonation is the carrier of meaning. What
would happen to the meaning of a statement when correct intonation is not used?

Intonation refers to the continuous elevation and depression of the pitch level in the delivery of a
syllable, word, phrase, clause or sentence. It is the rise and fall of voice in connected speech. It is
determined by the mind and mood of the speaker. This phenomenon makes us understand the
thought of the expressed ideas.

Intonation also, known as tune or melody, adds a shade of meaning to the lexical meaning and
reveals the speaker’s attitude and idiosyncrasies. This is true because at times, meaning is
embedded in the contour rather than in the phoneme combinations. For example, the word friend
normally means acquaintance, an ally, a sympathizer or a person one is fond of. But if said with
different contours, it may means differently reflecting the attitude and psychological state of the
speaker.

Friend (Is he a friend?

Friend (Are you kidding? Is he really your friend?)

Friend ( Fat chance you have of having him as a friend) Friend ( I’d rather he were
an enemy!)

Some Basic Guidelines

1. Changes in pitch result to the music of speech or intonation. Usually, there are three tones
in the English Language. But on certain occasions, a fourth tone is used. These four levels
may be represented as follows:

Pitch Level Use Examples Pitch Pattern

Very High – Used in speech associated with Help her! VH-L or 4-1
VH, 4 heightened emotion) We’ve won! L-VH or 1-4
High – H, 3 It generally coincides with stressed NegliGEE L-N-H or 1-2-3
syllables COUrage H-L or 3-1
Normal – N, It also coincides with secondarily NegLIgee L-N-H or 1-2-3
2 stressed syllables LET’S go! N-VH or 2-4
CaLENdar H-N-L or 3-2-1
Low -L, 1 It is usually used for unstressed distinguish N-H-L or 2-3-1

1
 syllables) culture H-l or 3-1
Stop it! VH-L or 4-1

Identify the level of the italicized syllable. Identify the pitch pattern of each word.
1. Murderer!
1. council
2. comfortable
3. monotone
4. huskiness

2. Changes in pitch may be abrupt or gradual. An abrupt change which occurs between
syllables is called a STEP while a gradual change in pitch within a syllable is called a
GLIDE.

A step is indicated by a sharp angle in the line. It is used when a stressed syllable is followed
by an unstressed syllable or vice versa.

A glide, on the other hand, is indicated by a curve. It may be used when the stressed syllable
is the last syllable in the sentence. It also occurs within the syllable.

Let’s say “Oh” in the manner indicated. When did you use a step? How about a glide?

a. Surprised
b. Hurt
c. Angry
d. Excited
e. horrified

3. Changes in the levels of pitch result in intonational patterns.

a. Falling intonation is used in declarative statements, commands and requests, WH
questions or in making statements specific.

The president is sick.

You’re looking well.
Please hand me the mallet.
Look after her.
Please bear with me.
Who will recite the poem?
How are you now?
I bought a blue dress for you.

This intonation is also used for tag questions that ask for confirmation.

You saw him, didn’t you?

She used all the money, didn’t she?

2
 She is afraid of rats, isn’t she?
The baby is not sleeping, is he?

b. Rising intonation is used in Yes-No questions and tag questions that ask for information.
Did you see him? The teacher is out, isn’t she?
Is he coming with us? He failed, did he?
Are you quite sure about that? We are all out stocks, aren’t we?

c. Non-final rising is used in utterances divided into two or more thought groups and in
making comparison and contrasts.

I saw the movie, but I didn’t like it.

Come with us; it would be a fantastic experience.
He reports better than Arnold.
I want to buy a condo, not rent one.

d. Variations in intonation patters can happen depending on the particular meaning or

emotion you want to convey.

Examples:
non-final rising + falling for choices, enumeration and suspense.

Would you rather have coffee of tea?

My best days are Saturdays and Sundays.
If you wish to see the teacher, call her up first.

H-L (3-1) for indignation and sarcasm

Is she. That’s that. Oh indeed.

H-N-H (3-2-3) for doubt, encouragement, appeal or invitation.

Yes.
Well.
Helen.

ACTIVITY

Read the statements using intonation that expresses the specific emotion of meaning indicated.

1. He eats fried rice, pan de sal, or rice cakes for breakfast.

2. Don’t say anything unless you have to.
3. Please hand me the saucers.
4. Where can I buy these things?
5. You’re really tired, aren’t you? (confirmation)

3
6. Is he joining us for lunch?
7. oh yeah?
8. Those are really gorgeous!
9. Carrot cake is better for the health than chocolate cake.
10. She won, did she? (for information)

Read any of the following monologues dramatically.

You know, I don’t think what you are doing is funny. In fact, I think it is sad. You think you’re
cool because you grew faster than some people, and now you can beat them up? What is cool about
hurting people? We are all here pretending that you’re a leader, when really, I know that you’re
nothing but a mean bully! All this time I’ve been scared to say that, but just now, I realized that
I’m not afraid of bullies—so, I won’t be afraid of you!
(https://literaryterms.net/monologue/)

Some people think I don’t like sharing, but that isn’t true at all. I love sharing. I mean, what’s not
to love about being able to go up to someone and say, “Hey, can I have some of that candy?” And
then they give you some! Or, “Can I ride your bike for a while?” And then you get to ride their
bike! Sharing is awesome. Sometimes you have to be careful, though. Like if someone comes up
to me and says, “Can I have one of your cookies?” Well, if I gave them a cookie, then I might not
have any cookies left to share with other people and that would be, like, the opposite of sharing.
So I have to say no. Because sharing is really important.
https://www.bbbpress.com/2014/07/4-free-monologues-kids-teens/

You don’t understand, you don’t ever hear what I’m trying to say to you. It’s always a one-way
conversation. First, you come at me and complain about all the things you think I’m not doing and
you do this to get me angry because you think by getting me angry it’s going to somehow make
me work harder for what I want in my life and you’re wrong. I’m sorry, but you’re so wrong.
That’s not the way to help me move forward. It’s not. Can’t you ever just be my friend and support
me by giving me encouragement? Do you have any idea how impossible what I’m going after
already is? Do you? it’s so damn hard and I can use some kindness…just some; you’re my mother,
you know, I–all I ask is that you stop trying to get so damn strategy oriented with me and instead
work with me, give me sound advice, if you have any, cause coming down on me doesn’t help.
I’m not asking you to hand feed me, but be there for me the way I need you to be…there…you
happy? Now you know what’s bothering me.
https://monologueblogger.com/one-way-conversation/

JUNCTURE

Otherwise known as pauses, juncture is a brief or longer pause used between words, phrases,
clauses or sentences for some reasons:

4
1. To make the meaning clear:

When the wind blows/ the waves run high.

The coach said// the football player/ is a poor sport.

The coach//said the football player// is a poor sport.

2. For emphasis : Frankly/ I’m disappointed in you.

3. To create suspense: There is only one reason why I continue to live// - to serve God.

4. Or in a long sentence, simply to enable the speaker to catch his breath: How much wood
would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck would chuck wood? If a woodchuck would chuck
wood, how much wood would a woodchuck chuck?

Correctly used pauses not only make the speech clear and create suspense and drama, but they
also help build the credibility of a speaker because they show that he has control of his speech.

How do we divide sentences in thought groups or rhythm units?

1. Generally, words closely associated grammatically belong to the same rhythm units, as in
phrases, clauses and short sentences.
/As a matter of fact/ I am very disappointed. /
/ What we make of life/ is what we give back to God./
/He is planning to play it tomorrow/

2. Function words tend to join the preceding or following rhythm groups with which they are
grammatically related.

He reported it/ to the dean.

Frankly/ he has to/ if he wants to please his audience/

Consideration of others/ is the lubricant/ to human relations.

There are also short and longer pauses. In the manuscript, a single slash (/) is used to signal short
pauses between words, a double slash (//) signals longer pause between clauses and phrases and
after punctuation marks like commas and hyphens while a double-cross bar (#) signals a full stop
in between sentences.

Examples:

She is not coming // but/ I am#

If you prefer/ not to see the doctor// then/ it’s your decision/ to make#

5
While we put pauses between words, phrases, clauses and sentences, there are also instances that
we need to blend, use what are called creepers (y or w in between vowels) or blend two sounds
into a new one (d+y=j or t+y=ch)

Examples:

Blending

Is it raining today? = Isit raining to day?

Get out. = ge tout

Look at it. = Loo-ka-tit

Not at all. = no-ta-tall

What is it? = Wha-ti-sit

For all I know – forallI know

I prefer it – I preferit

y-creeper

Beyaware.

Beyontime.

Sheyadores him.

w-creeper

Iyam addicted towit.

D+y=j

Did you?

Would you like to go?

T + Y = ch

Shall I meet you there?

6
ACTIVITY.

Instructions:

1. Read the poem carefully and decide on its meaning. Determine the overall mood of the poem.
This will help you decide on the appropriate levels of volume, quality, pitch, rate and also
intonational patterns you will have to use in orally interpreting it.
2. Determine where the short and long pauses should be. It would help if you put the signs for
juncture (single slash, double slash or double cross) on the poem itself as these will guide you
in reading it.
3. Rehearse reading before recording.
4. Submit a video recording in our GC.
Criteria for Evaluation:

Vocal Variety 10
Clarity (Pronunciation) 10
Intomation 10
Pauses/Juncture 10
Gestures and Facial Expressions 10

TOTAL 50

Like the Molave

(R. Zuleta da Costa)

Not yet, Rizal, not yet. Sleep not in peace:

There are a thousand waters to be spanned;

there are a thousand mountains to be crossed;

there are a thousand crosses to be borne.

Our shoulders are not strong; our sinews are

grown flaccid with dependence, smug with ease

under another's wing. Rest not in peace;

Not yet, Rizal, not yet. The land has need

7
of young blood-and, what younger than your own,

Forever spilled in the great name of freedom,

Forever oblate on the altar of the free?

Not you alone, Rizal. O souls

And spirits of the martyred brave, arise!

Arise and scour the land! Shed once again

your willing blood! Infuse the vibrant red

into our thin anemic veins; until

we pick up your Promethean tools and, strong,

Out of the depthless matrix of your faith

in us, and on the silent cliffs of freedom,

we carve for all time your marmoreal dream!

Until our people, seeing, are become

like the Molave, firm, resilient, staunch,

rising on the hillside, unafraid,

Strong in its own fiber, yes, like the Molave!