Further Studies in Intonation

Abstract

Working definitions of intonation and of the label to be attached to $$ categories were established. The correlations be $$ categories and $$ characteristics were explored for monosyllabic utterances. The relationship between intonation and fundamental frequency was in many cases found to be strong, but often other factors, such as the speech habits of the individual speakers, varied these relationships considerably. Marked similarities between the fundamental frequency and the intensity variations with time were found for many intonation categories; a notable exception was the “high rise” or “question” category. Comparisons of the acoustic characteristics of utterances and of the correct recognition by listeners of the intonation classes showed that fundamental frequency, intensity and duration formed a complex pattern of cues: the fundamental frequency often played the dominant part, but in numerous cases recognition was strongly influenced by other characteristics.