The stress in compound and polysyllabic words

INTONATION OF STATEMENTS

Statements as well as other communicative types of utterances (questions, imperatives, exclamations) are represented in speech by their modal variants, which are distinguished by intonation. Each variant conveys a certain type of the speaker’s attitude to the listener and to the subject-matter.

STRAIGHTFORWARD STATEMENTS

These are statements which convey information in a straightforward manner without any implications. They are pronounced with the nuclear Falling tone which is normally carried by the last important word of the utterance and is commonly combined with the High Level head:

• 
  What 'time shall we ‘meet?
  

—We’ll 'make it ˙Monday after‘noon.

The Falling tone in a straightforward statement may be high, low or mid, and statements pronounced with any of these pitch varieties of the Falling tone are final, complete, definite and categoric in meaning. At the same time each of them conveys a different attitude of the speaker to the situation and to the listener. Thus straightforward statements with a High Fall sound light and energetic. A Low Fall gives a considered, serious and weighty character to statements. Statements with a Mid Fall convey a neutral and calm attitude:

1. —What will you do next? — I’ll 'add some 'dry fruit.

2. — Where shall I meet you? —' Near the booking-office.

3. —Why did he run away? — I 'haven’t the 'slightest i dea.

IMPLICATORY STATEMENTS

Statements pronounced with a nuclear Falling-Rising tone (Divided or Undivided) often give the impression that the speaker wants the hearer to understand more than just the meaning of the words. Such statements are called implicatory. The additional meanings implied by the Fall-Rise include contradiction, correction, contrast, hesitation, apology, warning.

— It’s one of the best German films I’ve ever seen. — It’s Iˇtalian. (correction)

— I think they have all passed the exams. — ‘Ann ‚hasn’t, (contrast)

— Take your umbrella with you. — But it 'isn’t ‘raining any ‚longer. (contradiction)

— It was his plan, wasn’t it? — I ‘think ‚so. (hesitation)

— We’ll get there in half an hour. — You are 'driving too ˇfast, ˙James (warning)

— It’s getting late. — I can 'run you ˙up to 'town in my ˇcar. (cordiality)

— You’ll stay for tea, won’t you? — Perˡhaps some ˇother time. (apology)

The nuclear Fall-Rise in implicatory statements, as is shown in the examples, can be preceded by different kind of head (High Level, Stepping, Falling), but the Falling Head with its Sliding variant is the most typical.

FRIENDLY STATEMENTS

Friendly statements are pronounced with the nuclear Low Rising tone and a high-pitched prenuclear part (Normal or High Pre-Head, High Level or Stepping Head). Utterances with this intonation pattern lack the definiteness and finality of Falling tunes and the implicatory note of the Falling-Rising ones. They sound warm and lively:

— Don’t be long, Ann. — I 'shan’t be 'later than ‚usual.

— Please, hurry up, Jane. — I’ll be 'ready in a ‚minute.