The Ascending Stepping Head. The Low Level Head.

Each of the stressed syllables of the Ascending Head takes a static tone pitched higher than the preceding one, so that the onset syllable occupies the lowest pitch in the head. Intervening unstressed syllables are said on the same pitch as the stressed syllable to which they are attached (usually the preceding one). Since all the stressed syllables are contrasted to one another in pitch they are all regarded as full stresses, and the words carrying them as more or less equally important.

The Ascending Head is typically combined with the nuclear high falling and high rising tones. The last syllable of the head doesn't, as a rule, reach the high pitch zone, where the nuclear tone starts from. The degree of prominence of the nucleus seems to be greater than in the Stepping Descending or, especially, High Level Heads. Such an effect is produced by the gradual rise of the pitch throughout the head reaching its climax on the nucleus. As a result of the increased weight of the nuclear word, utterances pronounced with the Ascending Head cause the listener to anticipate the main point of information at the end. Due to these peculiarities the given prosodic pattern imparts specific modal connotations to an utterance. There is often a feeling of impatience, surprise, protest, disbelief or, vice versa, a note of enthusiastic approval and support.

In the Low Head all the syllables - stressed and unstressed - are pronounced in the low pitch zone of the speaker's voice-range. Prominence on the relevant syllables in this type of head is achieved by a greater force of articulation and longer duration. The stressed syllables are indicated with a low stress-mark.

The Low Head is used in combination with low nuclear tones which are often of a narrow variety. The most frequent nuclear tones after the Low Head are the Low Narrow Fall and the Low Narrow Rise. Since the whole utterance with the Low Head is pronounced within a narrow voice-range there is an impression of smaller overall prominence. Such utterances often convey a cool, detached, phlegmatic, disinterested or disapproving attitude.

Не нашли, что искали? Воспользуйтесь поиском: