When it has a falling tone, as in(a), the speaker is comparatively certain that the information is correct, and simply asking for conformation, while the rising tone in(b) is said to indicate a lesser degree of certainty, so the speaker is asking for information The discourse function of intonation In speech, people often use intonation to focus the listener's attention on aspects of the message that are most important. So the placement of nucleus or tonic stress depends on the"information content" the more predictable a word's occurrence is in given context, the lower its information content is. For example, people would say The \telephone's ringing The \kettle's boiling In speech, people often use the falling tone to indicate new information and rising one(includ ing falling-rising) to indicate"shared "of "given"information People also use intonation to indicate to others that they have finished speaking and that another person is expected to speak 英语语调的功能及使用 本单元学习的重点是英语语调的功能及使用。语音学家将英语语音语调的功 能概括为以下几点: 强调功能 Did you say a lighter shade? No a \brighter shade 调核一般位于最后一个实义词上,但在以上的回答中,调核位于 brighter而 非 shade,目的在于突出信息中心。 二、语法功能 Those who sold quickly made a profit 这个句子根据调核位置的不同,可能有两个不同的意思。假定这句话含两个 调核:前者为降升调,后者为降调。 如果降升调的调核位置在单词sold前面 Those who \/sold quickly made a \profit 意思是:只要出售了便能迅速取得利润 若降升调调核的位置落在单词sold后面 Those who sold \/quickly made a>profit 意思则为:销售得快才能获取利润 此外,语调的语法功能还表现在可以将一个陈述句变成疑问句,例如: ley 're going to have a picnic 如果用升调说出来,句子就成了问句 They re going to have a /picnic? 用升调说出这一句子时含义可能有两个:一是作为普通的一般疑问句(多见 于非正规的使用场合)二是作为重复问句,用于以下场合: They 're going to have a \picnic They re going to have a /picnic? But, it's raining outsid 另外,我们知道反意疑问句既可用降调亦可用升调,只是含义有所不同:When it has a falling tone, as in (a), the speaker is comparatively certain that the information is correct, and simply asking for conformation, while the rising tone in (b) is said to indicate a lesser degree of certainty, so the speaker is asking for information. The discourse function of intonation In speech, people often use intonation to focus the listener's attention on aspects of the message that are most important. So the placement of nucleus or tonic stress depends on the "information content": the more predictable a word's occurrence is in a given context, the lower its information content is. For example, people would say: The telephone's ringing. The kettle's boiling. In speech, people often use the falling tone to indicate new information and rising tone (including falling-rising) to indicate "shared" of "given" information. People also use intonation to indicate to others that they have finished speaking and that another person is expected to speak. 英语语调的功能及使用 本单元学习的重点是英语语调的功能及使用。语音学家将英语语音语调的功 能概括为以下几点： 一、 强调功能 -- Did you say a lighter shade? -- No, a brighter shade. 调核一般位于最后一个实义词上，但在以上的回答中，调核位于 brighter 而 非 shade，目的在于突出信息中心。 二、语法功能 Those who sold quickly made a profit. 这个句子根据调核位置的不同，可能有两个不同的意思。假定这句话含两个 调核：前者为降升调，后者为降调。 如果降升调的调核位置在单词 sold 前面: Those who sold quickly made a profit. 意思是：只要出售了便能迅速取得利润。 若降升调调核的位置落在单词 sold 后面: Those who sold quickly made a profit. 意思则为：销售得快才能获取利润。 此外，语调的语法功能还表现在可以将一个陈述句变成疑问句，例如： They 're going to have a picnic. 如果用升调说出来，句子就成了问句: They're going to have a picnic? 用升调说出这一句子时,含义可能有两个：一是作为普通的一般疑问句（多见 于非正规的使用场合）二是作为重复问句，用于以下场合： -- They 're going to have a picnic. -- They're going to have a picnic? But, it's raining outside. 另外，我们知道反意疑问句既可用降调亦可用升调，只是含义有所不同：