CONCEPTOS BASICOS

PITCH: It is the basic feature of the intonation; Pitch can be HIGH or LOW.

The behaviour of the pitch is called TONE!

Podemos decir que pitch es la acentuación fuerte que hago con la voz en diferentes partes de
una oración. Esta acentuación o sonido fuerte de la voz puede ser alto o bajo- esta
ascendencia o descendencia del sonido de la voz, se LLAMA TONE- o tono de la voz.

Los tonos pueden ser neutros, altos y bajo.

We use a unit //I am listening to you// which is called tone-unit to analyse the intonation of
that utterance or Tone-unit.

Para analizar la entonación de una oración, la apartamos y la llamamos TONE-UNIT- en este

caso es esta //I am listening to you//

A tone unit has:

A Tonic syllable: it is a the syllable with the tone and the prominence.

A Head: it is the part of the tone unit that extends from the first syllable( called onset
syllable) up to the tonic syllable.

A Pre-head: it is all the unstressed syllable in a tone unit before the first stressed syllable
(the head)

A Tail : it is some syllables following the tonic syllable up to the end of the tone-unit

La tone-unit que apartaste para analizar la entonación tiene una tonic syllable la silaba que mas
suena o que tiene mas fuerza al pronunciar en toda tu tone-unit (oración que elegiste para
analizar);the head es la parte que va desde la primera silaba acentuada hasta la tonic syllable
(puede que algunas oraciones (tone-unit) no tengan head y tengan directamente la tonic syllable;
the pre- head es todo los que esta antes de head o en el caso que no tengas head de la tonic-
syllable, los pronombres or artículos puede ser pre-head; y por ultimo tenes the tail,es todo lo que
sigue DESPUES de la tonic syllable

No siempre vas a tener todos esos componentes en tu unidad de análisis (tone-unit), pero lo que siempre
vas a encontrar es tonic syllable
A  tone unit  is a group of words centred around a tonic syllable (also called
the nucleus: the last lexical items) which carries a change in pitch.

The five pitch changes in English are fall, rise, fall-rise, rise-fall and level. You can
usually identify the change from one tone unit to another by a slight pause by the
speaker. Compare for instance the responses that might be made to the question 

Do you like sushi? :

//I don't  \know//-  one tone unit  - tonic syllable (with falling tone) = know

or

//I  \don't // \no// - two tone unit - Tonic syllables (both with falling
tone) don't and no.

(NB: Notice that the beginning and end of the tone group are indicated by double
slashed brackets - // )

The tone unit therefore has one obligatory element - the tonic syllable. However,
it may also contain other optional elements - the pre-head, head and tail 

The term head refers to the section of a tone group that extends from the first
stressed syllable up to the tonic syllable or nucleus (the last lexical items)  Any
unstressed syllables before the head are known as the prehead, while the
syllables after the tonic are the tail.

ˈ ˈ
So in the tone unit  //He  went to the Uni versity of   \Lancaster //  we have...

Pre-head : He
Head : went to the University of 
Tonic : Lan (here with a falling tone)
Tail : caster

As we said before, pre-head, head and tail are all optional elements. Potentially a
tone unit may consist of the nucleus (tonic syllable) only : 
//  \Look! //

Tone groups- 1 the switchback (fall-rise) and 2 the long Jump

Then, he continues using the long
jump tone as we notice he ties to
show Helen and the principal
what Dash constantly does in the
class. He sees red. As the theory
says, the long Jump is used to
show protesting, suffering,
definite and complete attitude.
There is a sense of injustice which
this character is involved.

1
Mr Bernie accused Dash of
mocking him, so he is
Helen takes place the fall-rise tone on
2
protesting and he is angry
this and about because as theory says
and annoyed. Mr Bernie
she is interested, concerned about
uses the Long Jump tone to
Mr Bernie strongly alleges Dash thewhat happened. Although she knows
situation mentioned by him so he what Dash did, accuse Dash
she tries to be surprised
places the tone on YOU to blame for the situation
him. Mr Bernie explains and
appeals Principal to punish Dash

Helen places the switchback tone on the word “do”.

Helen appears to be confused and concerned so she asks
Mr Bernie again to make sure the fact concerned Dash.
Helen tries to protect Dash’s identity so she has to show
that attitude

Helen appears to look for evidence. Being astonished,

Helen believes that It may be a misunderstanding and
tries to dismiss what Mr Bernie says. she appears to be
surprised but she knows what Dash did.

The stwichback (fall-rise) tone is used for showing a reluctant,

defensively dissenting, concerned, surprised attitude. Helen knows the
The speaker, Mr Bernie, places the
truth but she has to show a surprised and concerned attitude to avoid
long Jump tone on the Word see. Dash being discovered . She is quite reproachful and astonished.
This is like a question and repeat
again. He blames Dash and shows
the evidence. He is furious!