Explanation

Analysis of most varieties of English speech shows that the intonational styles contrastivity is explicable only within the framework of speech typology, embracing primarily:

a) varieties of language;

b) forms of communication;

c) degree of speech preparedness;

d) the number of participants involved in communication;

e) the character of participants’ relationship.

Language in its full interaction has two varieties – spoken and written. The term ‘spoken’ is used in relation to oral texts produced by unconstrained speaking, while the term ‘written’ is taken to cover both oral representation of written texts (reading) and the kind of English that we sometimes hear in the language of public speakers and orators, or possibly in formal conversation (more especially between strangers).

According to the nature of the participation situation in which the speaker is involved two forms of communication are generally singled out – monologue and dialogue, the former being referred to as a one-sided type of conversation and the latter as a balanced one. Monologue is speaking of one individual; dialogue presupposes the participation of two or more speakers. Monologues are usually more extended and characterized by a greater lexical and grammatical cohesion. They are better organized.

Degree of speech preparedness entails distinction between prepared and spontaneous speech.

As far as the number of participants involved in communication is concerned, speech may be public and non-public.

And, finally, from the character of participants’ relationship viewpoint there are formal and informal types of speech.

Formal type of speech is designed to be intelligible to the general population of speakers of the language, whether or not they live in the same area or country. Its functioning is characterized by intentional approach of the speaker towards the choice of language means suitable for a particular communicative situation and the official, formal, serious, preplanned nature of the latter. There will be a standard or general vocabulary, grammar and syntax that are understood by the vast majority of speakers, so that information is shared with as little misunderstanding as possible.

Informal type of speech, on the contrary, is characterized by the immediacy, spontaneity, informality of the communicative situation. It is not premeditated. Alongside this consideration there exists a strong tendency to treat informal speech as an individual language system with its independent set of language units and rules of their connection.

Thus, there is a distinct well-defined correlation between intonational styles and speech typology. In describing, for example, the intonation identity of familiar (conversational) style one has to take into account that it occurs in the spoken variety of English, both in one-sided (monologue) and balanced (dialogue) types of conversation, in spontaneous, non-public, informal discourse.