SUPRASEGMENTAL PHONEMES
Pitch – refers to the variable rise and fall of the voice depending on the frequency of vibration of the vocal cords.
- Its voice varies with age, sex or the individual.
 |
Extra High
 |
High
 |
Normal
 |
Low
Pitch Levels
LOW - 1 - generally used to end a sentence
NORMAL - 2 - begins a sentence
HIGH - 3 - emphasizes or stresses a word or syllable
EXTRA HIGH - 4 - expresses excitement, surprises, or fear
Intonation – refers to the rising and falling of the pitch of the voice when a person is speaking.
– is an intrinsic feature of English and many other spoken languages.
KINDS OF PITCH CHANGES
1. INFLECTIONS/GLIDES – are changes in pitch that occur within a syllable
Example:
Love is the only equalizing force in the world.
2. SHIFTS/STEPS – are changes in pitch that occur between syllables.
Example:
To remain silent in the face of evil is evil.
KINDS OF INTONATION PATTERNS
1. RISING
Do you like coffee?
2. RISING-FALLING
Close the window.
3. CIRCUMFLEX
When will this concert start? (Impatience)
Don’t you love him? (Doubt)
Juncture – a pause or slight delay in a continuous flow of speech
1. CLOSE JUNCTURE – a movement from sound to sound without intervening pauses.
A. within a syllable
man car God bless
B. from syllable to syllable within a word
go-ing for-get faith-ful man-ly
C. from word to word
for the students by the teacher
2. OPEN JUNCTURE – is movement which is not continuous, a less continuous flow of sound from word to word.
Examples:
I scream - ice cream
night rate - nitrate
why choose - white shoes
sell fish - selfish
deep lot - deep plot
3. TERMINAL JUNCTURE – refers to pauses of varying lengths to delimit specific grammatical structures.
A. sustained (/)
Examples:
Miss Erana / please mail this letter.
Mathematics / a challenging subject / appeals to me.
The dean / said the clerk / is busy. (The clerk is the speaker.)
Miss Roxas / perhaps / can do it for you.
When you need a helping hand, I’m here.
B. rising (//)
Examples:
Shall I see you in school // or at the office?
Hazel is studying French // Nipponggo // and German.
One // two // three // four // five.
Is she leaving today?//
The dean is out //
C. falling (#)
Examples:
She wrote this letter # didn’t she #
The sun rises in the east #
Please follow instructions carefully #
Look before you cross the street #
Please get me the following # recorders // headsets // and manuals #
It is not how long the tale is # but how it is # that matters #
What’s new #
He enjoys reading Santos // Rivera // and Joaquin #
THAT’S ALL…!
