UASli tNTOvNAllOi fTH fiYSTEMA'l'fC KXKKCISE (ilnrttell IniuerattH Sjihtary Stiiata Kern fork BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND THE GIFT OF HENRY W SAGE TSgT Cornell University Library PE 1139.P17 English intonation witli systematic exerc 1924 027 389 935 Cornell University Library The tine original of tiiis book is in Cornell University Library There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924027389935 ENGLISH INTONATION WITH SYSTEMATIC EXERCISES LONDON agents: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT AND CO., LTD First Edition Second Edition 1922 1924 ENGLISH INTONATION WITH SYSTEMATIC EXERCISES BY Harold E Palmer Linguistic Adviser to the Japanese Department of Education Late Lecturer in Spoken English, University College, London, Author of *'A Grammar of Spoken English," "C'est le etc., etc ton qui fait la chanson." CAMBRIDGE W HEFFER & SONS LTD 1924 PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN DEDICATED TC roy MY FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE H O COLEMAN, TO WHOSE INITIATIVE AND INVENTIVE GENIUS MUCH VALUABLE KNOWLEDGE ON THE SUBJECT OF ENGLISH INTONATION I'JP IS DUE Preface The object of this To book is fourfold: place on record a characteristic collection of the tones and tone-compounds as observed in the speech of most Southern English people in ordinary conversation To suggest a scheme of classification and terminology by which these tones and tone-compounds may be divided into classes according to their degree of resemblance or difference To formulate in a series of laws or rules the facts which have so been discovered concerning the relation between tones and meanings To set forth a simple yet adequate system of tonetic notation, in order that tonetic texts may be produced inexpensively and abundantly for the use of teachers and students The general utility of the book can be gathered by reference to the four objects for which it has been composed I have more especially designed it for the use of foreign students of spoken English No one who wishes to use the EngUsh language in the manner of English speakers can any more ignore the phenomena of its intonation than he can ignore the phenomena of its pronunciation It may be no more than a personal opinion of mine, but I am convinced that the two things, pronunciation and intonation, are so bound up with each other that it is futile to teach or to leam one without the other I base this opinion on psychological grounds Mimicry is the most potent factor in the study of foreign languages (whether spoken or written) The successful mastery of a language depends on how successfully the student can imitate the models far which serve as his standard Systematic exercises in pronunciation have the effect of causing students to observe the sounds of the language; similarly, systematic exercises in intonation have the effect of causing students to observe the tones of the language PREFACE vi This book should be of equal (or even greater) service to teachers of spoken EngUsh A teacher of pronunciation cannot efficient work if he is ignorant of the nature (nay, of the ver}' existence) of the sounds of the language he is teaching; but to teach foreigners to pronounce EngUsh without teaching them to intone it is an unbalanced procedure And yet a teacher of intonation cannot efficient work if he is ignorant of the nature (nay, of the very existence) of the tones of the language he is teaching This book may be of interest to the Enghsh-speaking person whose intonation differs from that here recorded, for it will enable him to become familiar with the main features of other types of intonation than own his The study of English intonation should English student of foreign languages, if be of great utility to the only to put him on his guard against speaking such languages with his native intonation French sentence, " Je ne "I did not see him yesterday," of the I'ai is The effect pas vu hier," intoned as the English as remarkable (not to say laughable) as the converse effect Furthermore, the EngUsh student of Chinese and other "tonelanguages" will find his work greatly facilitated by a conscious knowledge of his and own tones, for he wUl thereby be enabled to recognise, distinguish which elude the ear and the mimetic to reproduce tone-differences capacities of one without such knowledge A ready knowledge of the characteristic intonations of EngUsh, together with the possibility of reading and writing tonetic transcriptions, must enormously By facilitate the work of teachers and students of diction referring to the tonetic transcriptions in Part XII of this book, the reader wiU notice the ease with which one can read and write sentences intoned in a number of various ways The pronunciation used in these exercises is in general conformity with that given in Professor Jones' EngUsh Pronouncing Dictionary Scope As I have already mentioned, I have confined my attention to the study of that system of intonation which is generally used by most I have taken the data afforded by the of the natives of England ENGLISH INTONATION loo sou gaen bs konvg/seijn bi i' or or "\ou, II \]u: II bi1>gaen 9a konvaseijn bai seiig: sou i' bigsen bs konvaseijn bai seiig "Vkoulman, || veri msen i^ wontid ta >si: joiz, /nou, ju: loukwisl >igglij k3loukwi3l or f3~Vget || ^did ju: o* || /sAmSig 9i igzaekt /neim, 31 sou or SAinGig, o' "ViggliJ 93 /pru:fs?" si: sou 3f \ko:s sed: or sou 3f \ko:s " 93 jo' /nou, or k3 bai ^seiig i' baut 9aet >buk 3v || sou || 'Uai sed: 3f ko:s sed:^ ^gud >b:d, jes s3pouz ^didnt ju' let Ssm pAbliJ eni9ig wi9 it didnt sapouz let 93m pAbliJ eni9ig wi9 mai neim wi9aut nouig we93 9ei d idAn it prop3li." tu' or ju' it dAn or sou 9en i' it /prDp3li." .3: ^ || "wel, luk \hi3 or dount wont or b3t,2 — — || .3: t3 h3:t jo' 1>fi:ligz, wont t3 li3:t jo' _t3 put it iblAutli ^dount wel,2 II t3 \put it or 3: prDp3li." sed:^ luk >hi3 "wel, 931 it dAii it 'UprDp3li." or mai neim tu' wiSaut nouig we93 8ei d TjdAn lot av II 1>fi:ligz, liblAntli, mis^teiks in it." ^sou sed* "/ri3li? or II 98et s /intristig, "Visli? A low II \98et s level tone-group || /intristig without a nucleus ^ Neutral tone PHONETIC TEXTS IN TONETIC TRANSCRIPTION — menjn WAn oifihsend?" kan ju: /menJn wAn oifihaend?" ^kan ju' or ^sou "wel || sed^ i' V ju' got "wel ju' or "wel ju' \gest pri etc || || ^in /wAn or || wot waz /kAmig || ju' sou sam mis^prints ha\ Gigk i- waz rifa:rig ta sam \sori or went or m i' "Vsori || isiarias! T^Sset || abaut -^Qset 9ru: 6a pru:fs veri /ksafali or abaut || went went went || in\di:d." 6ru: 8a 'l*pru:fs veri ksafali 0ru: 9a /pru:fs veri ksafali || || in\di:d in\di:d on:^ "\wel, " or WAn av wel, '9a or or II II misteiks 'Umei bi- || || "Vmei bi' a misprint, a mis^print, '^mei bi* a misprint, or >wAii av 9a misteiks >mei ''Umei bi' a mis\print, or —WAn or || II Low hsednt inis->prints 6aet s ra:5a isiarias! II \9aet s ra:5a or || /si: 6aet s ra:5a \siari9s! or sou fsekt 9z a maetar a /fsekt dsAst sed^ II ta |1 si: pritendid ta or sentans." l^kAmig az msetar ^tendid ta >noutist, ju' in waii \sent9ns." kept /kwaiat abaut it, 6igk i' waz rifairig bat m || got T^tu: V V got ~Vtu: wot waz \gest or T^tu: or "'\m! loi bi' a misprint, bi' a misprint || av 9a misteiks -vmei level tone-group without a nucleus || etc ENGLISH INTONATION 102 V53 bat 6i V put ^ju' or bi' a prepa>zijn V ju' "ant^ ju' or ju' \ka:nt || bat 9i 'UaSs ka:nt or V put Shu:' v put || hu: z ' or or II on 8a McAva a >sentans, end av a >sentans || fa '"Vhu:m.' 'on || 8a >kAva, tu:^ /tu: || on 8a >kAva II || at 8i "^fa Shuim.' '\hu:' >bai?' it end av at 5i || ^put a prepa-\zij"n and! ju' V put bi' || /tu: evriwAn si: it drekli 8ei pik 8a -vbuk Ap \evriwAn si: it ^drekli 8ei pik 8a -vbuk Ap or evriwAn %sii it ^drekli 8ei pik 3a -^buk Ap or || || or buk >Ap or evriwAn or buk \Ap 3en 8ei "\zijn at 8i end av 8a 'Vsentans or or '* /from! 8set s a prepazijn at 6i 8en gud ^wot s wot || sou af igglij T^litaritja gud anAf, etc gud anAf far a prafesar av or or or av " 103 || went on bai seiig:^ ^8en ju' went 'Von bai seiig: * Low-level Tone-Group without a nucleus * Quoting the intonation used by the other speaker ' The speaker wishes to emphasize the preposition || z ENGLISH INTONATION 104 '^ av ^got t9 >pAbliJ it? or huieva kan i' av got ta >pAbliJ it? or 'hu:eva kan i' av got ta VpAbliJ it? or '\hu:eva kan i' av got ta pAblij" it? * s '\hu:' insted av '"Vhu:m.' or 58et s 7hu:' insted av '>hu:m.' ''^nv^eva kan " i' ' ' ^ ' 5set || |1 or >5aet s T^aet s or and || insted av '\hu:m.' 'u:' ju' V or or and ju v d3Ast finijt tef, Shu: da ju' nii:n? ^ or ' or 6aet s f insted av '>hu:m.' 'hu:' || finijt ^dsAst bai seiig: 'hu: da ju' >mi:n? ^o:f etc ' hu: da ju' >mi:n? '* and ju' v ^dsAst finijt o:f bai " a\nA9a 'hu:' insted av 'hu:in.' >ko:s dinaid hi' II or i \ko:s or f \kos pi:pl laik 6set or an af \ko:s diltnaid laik T^aet or v \sed >sed || || it it || ju' 5aet wei neva \du: admit, etc ad'\*niit 5ei to:k 5aet ka:nt 1*pru:v an af \ko:s or i' || i' neva \du: admit 9ei to:k ju' || it di'Unaid neva \du: II ^anles 6ei \sed i' hi' hi' ^pi:pl or || seiig, etc wei it ka:nt /pru:v it bi-n to:kig intu a /graemafoun 'Ugraemafoun \stil, hi' "Vnju: o:l or ^sou " ^ou or 9a taitn hi' nju: o:l || hi' d lised 8a \taim || hi' it, d -^sed it, bigaen ta sei:^ i' >wel, " >ou II \wel, ^ Low ^ Quoting the intonation used by the other speaker * The speaker wishes level Tone-Group without a nucleus to emphasize the element " who." PHONETIC TEXTS IN TONETIC TRANSCRIPTION W3Z ^ounli seiig W3Z woz or or or \pi:pl wot "UaSs piipl ounli seiig "Vounli seiig od ad sei wot a63 T^piipl ad wot etc 105 || sei sei veri laikli 8ei "Vwudnt spi:k paifikli karekli." ^sou sed:^ "ju nou or /ju: >wel ^paifikli ju' nou wel "Vpo:fikli sa nainti nain aut av a hAndrid edsukeitid II igglijinan VDilwiz to:k laik 8aet." " or ju nou paifikli wel ju: an nainti nain aut av a hAndrid edsukeitid igglijman io:lwiz to:k laik 8set." ju or nou or >to:kig abaut." /si:? d put or or 8en jo: nou wot jo: >to:kig abaut." " ju' doimt nou wot jo: >to:kig abaut." " ^ju' dount nou wot jo: ^to:kig abaut." or hi' >o:lwiz to:k laik 9aet." sed.^ i' " ju' dount nou wot " ju' dount or ^ju' wel pa:fikli sou i' a prepa\zijn hi' d ju si: wot ben i' so: or ^put a || at 5i end av 8a prepa^zijn || d put a prepazijn d \dAn, "Vso: wot i' d dAn, hi "Vsentans agen! etc at 8i end av 8a sentans a>gen! i' an bigsen ka~Vrektig imself kudnt help Ma:fig, i '\ko:s or i ko:s T^ai kudnt help 'Vla:fig, kudnt help /la:fig, or f \ko:s an T*8set put im intu a baed \tenipa or an /8aet put im intu a bsed \tempa wi' a not on 'Vspi:kig ta:mz /nau II || || || || || or II 'Unau From Coleman's The Kind of English I use in Ordinary Conversation Ix)w level Tone-Group without a nucleus PRINTED BY W HEFFER AND SONS LTD CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND BOOKS ON THE TEACHING OF MODERN LANGUAGES AND THE DIRECT METHOD BY PHONETICS Published by W HEFFER 5? 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WRITING OF The application of Dr Perrett's ingenious system, "Peetiokay," to the transcripion of a language hitherto not uniformly codified Messrs W HEFFER SONS 6? Ltd., will be glad to have Manuscripts on Subjects akin to those mentioned in this list, sent to them with a view to publication [...]... teacher will first pronounce (with the intonation indicated) the five examples of the He may do this once or several times The student or students exercise win then imitate the teacher's performance Should they experience any difficulty, the teacher may intone with exaggerated slowness or degree of pitch Having successfully imitated the teacher, the student may be called upon to read off the examples without... Intonation Curves Phonetics Teubner Mr H Klinghardt (various works) — ; ; — PREFACE viii The difference between these three modes of strong assertion is so great that no native English speaker would ever use one for the other: we aU that each expresses a different sort of assertion, a different feel attitude towards the person addressed each of the three may But they are aU assertions, constitute a contradiction... of the nucleus -tone) An inferior head-tone before the rising nucleus-tones by placing the sign [ ] ai An inferior may be marked immediately before the head element: head-tone gud ^bai Aaen before the falling-rising nucleus tone (Tone- on the low pitch It may, if necessary, be marked by placing the sign [ ] immediately before the head element; but such inferior head-tones may be left unmarked: Group... sei! A scandent head gud not nau! ju:?! may be marked by placing the sign [ ] bai! immediately before the head element: "^wud ai "^sei! Note —^The one-syllable "^not T^nau! /ju:?! —gud ^bai between a superior and a scandent The difference increases however pro- significative difference head is not great portionately to the length of the head A types Heterogeneous head The nature is of these a combination... them with diffidence, being only not evoke in the reader's mind the them to convey do wish to emphasize, however, is the fact that we all recognize immediately and without effort each of the attitudes associated with the tones; we use them and respond to them, we express or conceal our thoughts by choosing the tone or tone-compound most Ukely to serve otir purpose And aU this we do with such complete... constitutes a distinct and coherent system, and that its difficulties are such that few foreign students are likely to speak as Enghsh natives do until they have trained themselves to observe and to reproduce what they hear This last consideration is the chief function of these Systematic Exercises in English Intonation • See the alternatives and variants given in the pages devoted to tonetic transcription... TABLE OF CONTENTS EXERCISES SECTION VI Two-Syllable ' Heads." Rules Exercises Tone -Group Intensified Tone-Group Tone-Group Intensified Tone-Group Tone-Group Intensified Tone-Group Tone-Group Tone-Group Tone-Group Tone-Group Tone-Group Tone-Group Tone-Group : i i i i i i 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 Head Head Superior Head Superior Head ScandentHead ScandentHead Inferior Head Superior Head ScandentHead Inferior Head... rise on did) = It would hinder them The science which is concerned with the nature and meaning of this tone-play is called Intonation That part which is concerned chiefly with the tone-curves irrespective of their meanings has been called Tonetics} Whether Tonetics is a branch of Phonetics or whether it is an independent science, does not appear to be a vital question We need only note that what Phonetics... marked by placing the sign ] [ and falling-rising nucleus-tones is immediately before the head element: not ^wot >fo:? 'l>nau! Before the rising nucleus-tones (Tone-Groups 2 and and 4), a superior head may be of a mid- or of a high-pitch, according to the degree of intensity with which the tone group is uttered is level A may be marked by immediately before the head element Where may be marked by the... inability to recognize or to produce a given tone is generally, if not always, due to the utter novelty of the exercise With a little practice, however, such difficulties are almost invariably overcome It must be remembered that aU users of speech (no matter what their nationality or language, no matter whether musically trained or not) are users of and consequently already possess the elements of any intonation