Discourse Analysis & Phonology

Important Element in The Teaching of Spoken English

• English has :
• i) rhythmicality of different degrees in speeches
• of :
• broadcast
• fluent reading
• speeches
• monologues
• ordinary conversation
• ii) stress-timed L :-
• --stress timing
• --syllable-timing
• --e.g : the word “extraordinary”, “mother”, etc.

• Prominence : -
• Syllables which stand out in the flow of talk
• Because speaker has uttered them with greater intensity or duration or pitch duration.
• Sentence stress is also called ‘tonic’.
• e.g : JA pan ESE, or
• Japan εSε, never
• JaPAnese.
• Good example : 4.16

• Word-stress Prominence
• The knowledge about syllables that may be prominent is useful.
• In context –primary & secondary stress is important.
• e.g : When I was in college, I had many Japanese friends.

Placing of Prominence

• e.g : 4.17, 4.18 & 4.19
• Interactive choice is important.
• When we consider prominence in discourse, we are considering the extent to which speakers & listeners’ worlds converge.
• e.g: 4.21 ( I can take you right to the door if you wish).
• --The emphasis on to instead of door.
• e.g: In Islam, one who seeks knowledge must practice humility.
• .

• Good practice—Activity 5 (97).
• Function & non-function words can be given prominence as well.
• e.g: 4.22, 4.23 & 4.24.
• Problems with prominence—misunderstandings about word stress esp. in compound words.
• e.g: You can publish your poem in the
• newsletter.
• Teacher needs to observe learners’ speech to seek problem in misplaced of prominence

Intonational Unit.

• Intonation is essential to interprete meaning e.g : sarcasm, surprise, querry, teasing etc.
• Can’t really be taught but the more you are exposed to it, the more conversant you are about the right intonation for specific intention.
• According to linguists, intonation is related to information structure of utterances.
• Halliday believes that speakers decide how to segment information.
• e.g: …I know I am far from being a perfect Muslim. I am still unsure of the state I will be in when my Creator finally calls me up. I am worried whether I would pass the test, ie. the pain, the agony, especially during ‘sakaratul maut’ (death throes).

• Nuclear prominence projects what the speaker decides is new in the tone.
• e.g : 4.30
• 4.31 words in bold are the newsworthy
• 4.32
• Speakers decide on the information that needs to be distributed in tone groups & where tonic is placed.
• Decisions rests on assessing what needs to be highlighted to the listener.
• (new & given)
• Info Background info (obvious in the context)

• Prominence --
• may be used to draw the listeners attention to a wide variety of
• phenomenon in the discourse,
• including markings of the speakers’ turn
• a new topic
• & emphasis on contrast or giving new info