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Pitch Phonemes
We shall now examine the phonemes ofpitch, a third category of supra-
segmental phonemes. Like phonemes of stress, the phonemes
of pitch are relative values.
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Four Contrasting Levels of Pitch
We recognize four contrasting levels ofpitch
low/ 1/
mid/ 2/ represents normal pitch
high /3/
extra high/ 4/ (for special emphasis)
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Placement of Numbers
In any utterance, the pitch phonemesare placed immediately in front of the
syllables which they mark,except in thecase of the last syllable which hasnumbers on both sides.
/2 Qn + wEnt + 3SapIN 1 / Only mark points at which contrast
occurs.
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Intonation Contours
The distribution of the pitch phonemesof an utterance ,plus the terminal
juncture, makes up the IntonationContour
Every intonation contour consists of
pitch phonemes rising to a single peakand falling from that peak to a terminaljuncture
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Intonation Contour
[ay+ wE$nt + QpIN ]
/231 /
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Pitch Phonemes
Every utterance contains a singlepeakof stress, a single peak of pitch and
ends in a terminal juncture The highest pitch phoneme usually falls
on the syllable which has the primary
stress
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Pitch Phonemes
In any utterance , the pitch phonemesare placed immediately in front of the
syllables which they mark except in thecase of the last syllable which thephoneme follows
2 Qn + wE$nt + 3SapIN 1
2 ay + w$Ent + 3 QpIN 1
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Minimal Pair
Which of the following utterancesmeans coffee, not milk ?
/2 ay + w$ant + 3 I 1 /
/2 AY + w$ant + 4 I 1 / The second one because of extra high
pitch
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Minimal Pair
The intonation contour /233 / ischaracteristic of a question.
Do the following utterances differ inmeaning?
/ 2j%
an
+$Qn
+ 3sIN
1
/ /2 j% an + $Qn + 3 sIN 3 /
First statement is a statement and the
second is a question
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Pitch Phonemes
/j%an + $Qn + 3 sIN 3 ---/
( John can sing, but he cant dance)
The terminal juncture begins at pitchlevel /3/ and remains at that level
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Summary
Every utterance has an intonationcontour
Every intonation contour has a singlepitch
Every intonation contour ends in a
terminal juncture
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Minimal Pair
/2 ar + y$u + 3 goIN 3 /
/ 2 ar + y$u + 4 goIN4 /
Which of the utterances indicatesurprise?
The second one -as indicated by thehigher pitch symbols
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Minimal Pairs
Meaning
Is John here?
John is here. John is here- but he
wont stay.
John is here (notthere)
Utterance
/2j%an$Iz +3 hIr3 /
/2j%anI$z + 3 hIr 1 / /2j%anI$z + 3 hIr1 /
/2j%anI$z + 3 hIr 3 -- /
/ 2j%anI$z +3 hIr 1 /
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Summary-stress ,pitch, and
juncture phonemes illustrated / 2pliz 2 -- 2 tEl + iy3stri%1
[polite request]
/2pliz --- 2 tEl + $iy 4 stri 1 /[emphatic request]
/2pliz 4 tEl + $iy3 stri 3 /
[begging]