Stress : applied to units larger than phonemes (-> segmental phonology), i.e. syllables
Intonation : pitch of voice plays an important part; it is constantly changing during speech; analysing intonation refers to listening to the speaker´s pitch and recognising what it is doing
Pitch
Defined in terms of high and low (arbitrary choices for end-points of the pitch scale)
Auditory sensation experienced by the hearer
We are not interested in all aspects of a speaker´s pitch, but in those that carry some linguistic information
Speakers have control over their own pitch of voice, and the possibility of choice (this may have linguistic significance)
Necessary conditions for pitch differences to be linguistically relevant
Being under speaker´s control
Pitch differences must be perceptible (great enough to be heard by a listener as differences in pitch)
Significance in linguistics lies in contrasts (a set of items a unit contrasts with)
Form and function of intonation
In the shortest piece of speech – single syllable
A continuous piece of speech beginning and ending with a pause – utterance
One syllable utterances like “yes” and “no”
Even in one syllable words we can either remain at a constant pitch level or change it
Important definitions (Crombie, 1987)
Intonation: variation in pitch
Tonality: "dividing the flow of speech into tone groups or tone units"
Tonicity:"locating the syllables on which major movements of pitch occur "
Tone: "identifying the direction of pitch movements "
Tone
It is the term used for the overall behaviour of the pitch
It can be level or moving
The latter is more common
Level tone does not sound natural
When saying yes or no in a final manner, falling tone is usually used
Whereas for questioning rising tone is used (compare yes/no and yes/no?)
