Transcript tones, tonic syllables tones units

TONES,
TONIC SYLLABLES
TONES UNITS
MRS. SANDRA MOLINA C.
UBB CHILLAN
What is the tonic syllable?
Tonic syllable is the last prominent syllable in the tone
unit
where
the
tone
change
begin.
Tone unit is a sequence of accented syllables, one or
more
of
which
are
prominent.
Facts on Tone unit & Tonic Syllable:
1.Each tone unit contains only one tonic syllable.
2.Each tone unit carries one change of tone.
3.We mark Tone unit boundaries by placing a "
rectangle " at the beginning of the Tone unit.
4.Tonic syllables must have a high degree of
prominence.
5.Tonic syllables are syllables which carry a tone and
also a type of stress.
6.Tonic syllables are also known as nucleus.
Examples:
Is it you:
◙Three-syllable utterance consisting of
one tone-unit;
The only syllable that carries a tone (i.e.
the tonic syllable or nucleus) is the third
one.
John is it you :
◙Four-syllable utterance consisting of
two tone-units;
Simple tone-unit:
Head: the part of a tone-unit that extends from
the first stressed syllable (the onset of the head)
up
to the tonic syllable.
Remember that stressed words are (usually)
content words (nouns, adjectives, verbs,
adverbs).
Bill called to give me these.
Pre-head:
All the unstressed syllables preceding the
first stressed syllable. In a little less than an
hour.
Tail:
All the syllables following the tonic syllable up
to the end of the tone-unit look at it both of
them were ˙here.
Onset on a function word
In the following examples the head is in
blue and tonic syllable in red
Interrogative wh-words are stressed:
Who wrote the report?
How do you feel?
This is the officer who wrote the report.
What happens to nucleus placement when a
(direct or indirect) question has the pattern whword + be + pronoun (i.e. it contains only
function words)?
The nucleus goes on the verb be.
How are you?
Tell me how you are.
What is it?
Tell me what it is.
Welcome back! How’s it been?
Tell me how it’s been.
☼Who’s she? (pointing at somebody)
☼Who’s that? (hearing somebody at the
door)
☼Who is that? (knocking at the door
continues)
☼How old are you?
☼What’s it for?
☼What’s this button for?
In yes-no questions, an initial auxiliary or
modal is optionally stressed:
Did you remember?
Can you swim?
An initial contracted negative verb is almost
always accented, so too is the word not.
Haven’t we been here before?
I’m not really sure.
The modals ought, used, need, dare are usually
stressed even in statements. The other auxiliaries
and modals are also often stressed in statements
if by doing so we avoid an awkwardly long
prehead. May, might, and should are usually
stressed.
I used to live in San Diego.
I’m going to be late for work. Or I’m going to be
late for work.
Pronouns are stressed not only when
contrastive, but also when coordinated or to
signal a change
of grammatical subject or object.
You do the ironing
(contrast)
You and I
(coordination)
Bill told Mary
(object subject)
could
and I’ll wash the floor.
sort
it
out
quickly.
and then she told Jennifer.
Locate the nucleus:
Switch over to the BBC.
I need some new running shoes.
I’ve lost my credit card.
I’ll tell them.
Have you forgotten me?
What are you looking at?
Where does she come from?
Who’s she with?
Solutions:
Switch over to the BBC.
I need some new running shoes.
I’ve lost my credit card.
I’ll tell them.
Have you forgotten me?
What are you looking at?
Where does she come from?
Who’s she with?
What’s it about?
Take your umbrella with you.
His tie’s got a stain on it.
When is it?
See who it is.
You mustn’t annoy people.
I’ve got something to say to you guys.
(Why are you looking so worried?) I’ve got
an exam this afternoon.
(Everything OK?) It’s a bit hot in here.
What’s it about?
Take your umbrella with you.
His tie’s got a stain on it.
When is it?
See who it is.
You mustn’t annoy people.
I’ve got something to say to you guys.
(Why are you looking so worried?) I’ve got an
exam this afternoon.
(Everything OK?) It’s a bit hot in here.