Ex. 1 Read the phrases reproducing the indicated Falling tones:

Yes. Hours ago. Im`mensely. Certainly. By `all means. Then phone me about it. I’m a shop-assistant. I’d be `glad to. I’d `love to. Salinger, of course. The train’s coming. Right. `Fine. No. History, I would say. There’s a variety show on. You needn’t to.

 

Ex. 2 Read the same phrases in the conversational contexts:

1 A: Can you do me a favour? – B: Certainly.  2 A: Will she come back tomorrow? – B: Yes.  3 A: May I use your phone? – B: By all means. 4 A: When do we get there? – B: At about nine.  5 A: Who wrote ‘The Catcher in the Rye”? – B: J.D. Salinger, of course.  6 A: What subject are you best at? – B: History, I would say. 7 A: Do you remember what comes on next? – B: There’s a variety show on. 8 A: Must I do the shopping today? – B: You needn’t to.  9 A: Would you like to join us? – B: I’d `love to.  10 A: I could fetch another guitar. – B: That’d be `marvelous!

 

Ex. 3 Read out the mini-dialogues. Make B’s part sound definite and complete:

a) Show enthusiasm, personal involvement in the situation, or protest, word/idea contrast:

Model: Would you mind helping us with the translation? – B: I’d be `glad to!

1 A: Would you post this letter for me, please? – B: Certainly!  2 A: He told me he’d already booked the table. – B: I’m sure he had.  3 A: Will I meet him at Samantha’s? – B: Of course you will!  4 A: It was a great speech, wasn’t it? – B: It wasn’t. 5 A: Thought I was lucky for once. – B: You were lucky, Andy! 6 A: So it was all a huge success. – B: It was fantastic! 7 B: They’re expensive there. – B: Actually they’re not.

b) Express a neutral, weighty and serious attitude:

Model: A: Where does he come from? – B: Birmingham.

1 A: What’s your sister’s occupation? – B: She’s a teacher. 2 B: Could you give me Peter’s address? – B: I’ll find it for you. 3 A: Where are your seats? – B: In the stalls.  4 A: What do you like about Helen? – B: Her voice first of all.  5 A: Who is the letter from? – B: Aunt Emily. 6 A: Is Jack away? – B: No, but he’s leaving tomorrow.  7 A: What was your journey like? – B: Nothing to write home about. 8 A: Was Mollie pleased with her performance? – B: She wasn’t.

c) Express a cool, reserved, phlegmatic attitude:

Model: A: Must I finish the work now? – B: You needn’t.

1 A: What’s wrong with you? – B: I’ve got a temperature.  2 A: I can’t find my glasses anywhere. – B: They’re on the kitchen table.  3 A: She might have left you a message. – B: But she didn’t. 4 A: What’s on TV tonight? – B: A musical, I think.  5 A: Do you think he’ll suspect anything? – B: He won’t. 6 A: Why don’t you take another chance? – B: I’m going to. 7 A: Mary’s decided to stay. – B: I can’t care less.

 

Ex. 4 Read the following utterance with the High Wide Fall.

Model: The 'journey was all,right, but the ho'tel was `awful.

1 I asked him to help me but he wouldn’t.  2 Roger managed to solve one problem but created another.  3 We telephoned for an ambulance and they sent a fire engine.  4 We expected the results to be bad, but they were terrible.  5 He wanted to work in the library, but it was closed.  6 She went to buy a bicycle and came back with a car.  7 The old ladies wanted a football.  9 He needs to lose weight and he eats sweet things. 

The Falling-Rising Tone

 

The Falling-Rising nuclear tone is a bi-directional complex tone. The fall and the rise may be realized within one syllable. In this case the falling and the rising elements of the tone are united at their lowest points by a glide.

     E.g.: Fine. __________                                       

 

                       __________

When the nuclear syllable is not the last syllable of the intonation group, the Fall-Rise is split in form, the fall being carried by the nucleus and the rise – by the tail. Example:

Perfectly.         I doubt it.                  Is he travelling?

________       __________         ________________        

 

 ________      __________         ________________

 

The first element of the tone – the fall – is phonetically more prominent than the second one – the rise.

The Fall-Rise (FR) has an implicatory meaning. It gives the impression that the speaker intends the hearer to understand more than the words themselves convey. The implication expressed in an utterance may be that of emphasis, contrast, correction, hesitation, doubt, uncertainty, warning, apology, partial agreement, etc. In each case the exact implication stands out clearly from the context. For example:

1 A: They aren’t in the least alike. – B: They are. (contradiction)

2 A: Do you think she’ll manage to do it? – B: She may. (hesitation)

3 A: Let’s stay a little longer. – B: There’s little time. (warning)

4 A: His brother’s name is Jerry. – B: Geoff! (correction)

5 A: This is the best school in the city. – B: Yes. (partial agreement, hesitation)

6 A: Can all of you drive a truck? – B: ‵I,can. (partial agreement)

7 A: Do you like mint candies? – B: I `love,candies (likes and dislikes).

8 ‵Sorry I am,late. (apology).

9 Fall-Rise is used when somebody makes a general statement which avoids answering a question. E.g. A: Have you had dinner? – B: I’ve ‘had something. A: Has he sent the letter? – B: He was going to. A: What’s the time? – B: It must be late.

10 The Fall-Rise is often called a referring tone. The speaker chooses a FR when he/she is referring to something already stated or implied in the conversation, to something which is part of the background knowledge or experience he/she shares with the addressee. Examples:

1 A: What shall we do after lunch? – B: ‘When we’ve ‘finished,lunch | we’ll look at the ‵photos.

2 A: What shall we give Grace? – B: ‘As she ‘likes reading, | we shall ‘give her a ‵book.

3 A: Shall I order a steak for you, Dad? – B: I’m a vege tarian.

 

The Fall-Rise exists in two forms. The FR Unit is realized on one word, the FR Divided is realized on two different words which are both given nuclear prominence. Examples:

I ‘don’t know his name. (FR Unit) I ‵know his,name. (FR Divided)

 

The difference between the forms lies in the number of ideas. The FR Divided makes two ideas prominent instead of one. Functionally both variants are similar, they impart implicatory meaning to the utterance.

 

Speech Exercises