Intonation Contour 1a and the Attitudes Conveyed by It

Intonation Contour 1a: (Low Pre-head+) (Low Head*+) Low Fall (Low-Level Tail)

Thereis an important variant of Intonation Contour 1 with a low head or no head; if there is a pre-head it is also low; the tail is low-pitched.

* Pre-nuclear stressed syllables pronounced on the low pitch level constitute the Low Level Head or Low Head.

E. g. There’s nothing to worry about.

How did you manage to do that?

The Low Level Head usually occurs before the Low Fall or Low Rise.

The speaker pronouncing phrases with Intonation Contour 1a sounds cool, calm,reserved, detached, unemotional, uninterested, sometimes unsympathetic and disapproving, grim and even hostile.

1. Statements: Intonation Contour 1a makes a statement sound complete, definite and categoric, as in the case of Intonation Contour 1. A statement pronounced with this pattern may sound unfriendly, grim, surly.

E.g. I want to talk to you.

I must go now.

2. General Questions: Intonation Contour 1a makes a general question sound detached, phlegmatic, uninterested, sometimes sceptical and hostile.

E.g. A: We shall have to take a taxi.

B: But can we a fford it?

3. Special questions: Intonation Contour 1a makes a special question sound reserved, cool, uninterested, flat, unfriendly and unsympathetic, quite often even hostile.

E.g. A: Can you lend me some money?

B: What do you want it for?

4. Commands: Intonation Contour 1a makes a command sound calm, unemotional, often cold.

E.g. Don’t do it a gain.

Try some of the other keys on the bunch.

5. Exclamations: Intonation Contour 1a makes an exclamation sound calm, reserved, unsurprised.

E.g. A: It was very kind of you.

B: Not in the least.