Discourse Approach to Turn-taking

2.3.3

Key and Termination

The pitch-level system also contributes to the description of intonation and projects

the relevant utterances made by the participants. The pitch level can be realized by

three keys of ‘high’, ‘mid’, and ‘low’, and they are indicated by an upward or

downward arrow; key height is relative, though. The description differs depending on

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where the key movement occurs. While the relative choice of pitch level on the onset

prominent syllable is called a choice of ‘key’, the relative choice of pitch level on the

tonic syllable is called a choice of ‘termination’. As with tone selection, key selection

attributes to a tone unit as a whole.

Although the function of key and termination is related to the relevant utterance, there

is distinction in meaning associated with them. While key refers back to the preceding

utterance, termination usually refers forward to the utterance assumed to come next in

the discourse. The key selection of either ‘high’, ‘mid’, or ‘low’ projects the

‘contrasting, particularizing, or adjudicating’, ‘asserting or concurring’, and ‘equating’

implications of the speaker within the context of interaction.