Human Language: Intonation

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The explanation of the intonation system of a particular language or dialect is a particularly difficult task since intonation is paradoxically at the same time one of the most universal and one of the most language specific features of human language. Intonation is universal due to the fact that every language possesses intonation. This was made by Hockett (1963) one of his list of ten noteworthy experimental generalisations about languages: generalisations which we should not necessarily want to include in the definition of what forms a language but which just happen to be true. Intonation also is regarded universal for the reason that many of the linguistic and paralinguistic functions of intonation systems seem to be shared by languages of widely different origins. It has often been mentioned, for instance, that in a vast majority of languages some sort of raised pitch (final or non-final) can be used in contrast with lower pitch to show that an utterance is intended as a question rather than as a statement. In this sense the universal status of intonation is rather diverse from that monitored for other phonological systems such as vowels or consonants for instance. Even though it is accurate that all languages have vowel and consonant systems, and even that alike patterns of vowels and consonants can be located in languages which are only very distantly interrelated, these systems do not convey meanings straight in the way that intonation seems to. There is, for instance, no regular universal meaning which can be ascribed to the difference between front vowels and back vowels or between stops and fricatives. In spite of this universal quality, the exact features of a particular speaker’s intonation system are also highly re... ... middle of paper ... ...day communication, defective intonation can sound absurd and flaws in intonation can give rise to misunderstandings. This study tries to investigate to what extent the knowledge of second language is influential in acquiring the proper intonation patterns of second language and whether realizing the intonation pattern has been paid enough attention or not. It goes without saying that it is vital for second language learners in order to master all the aspects of second language to be totally aware of the prosody and intonation patterns of target language. Here we want to analyse whether the difference in level of target language proficiency play any role in learning intonation patterns of second language. In other words, to see knowledge of prosody and suprasegmental features of second language would be improved accompanying with other aspects of second language.

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