[go: up one dir, main page]
Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 102 views

    Dividing Messages Into Speech Units

    Uploaded by

    Vanessa Cosgrover
    When speaking, dividing messages into speech units can change the meaning by altering how the message is grouped. For example, "CHILDREN // DRIVE SLOWLY//" means the children should drive slowly, while "// CHILDREN DRIVE SLOWLY //" means children are driving cars slowly. Speakers use speech units connected to grammar like sentences, clauses, lists, and quotations. The positioning of main stress within speech units can also influence meaning and be used for emphasis, contrast, correction, or questioning tone.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Dividing Messages Into Speech Units

    Uploaded by

    Vanessa Cosgrover
    102 views4 pages
    When speaking, dividing messages into speech units can change the meaning by altering how the message is grouped. For example, "CHILDREN // DRIVE SLOWLY//" means the children should drive slowly, while "// CHILDREN DRIVE SLOWLY //" means children are driving cars slowly. Speakers use speech units connected to grammar like sentences, clauses, lists, and quotations. The positioning of main stress within speech units can also influence meaning and be used for emphasis, contrast, correction, or questioning tone.

    Original Description:

    Original Title

    section C

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    When speaking, dividing messages into speech units can change the meaning by altering how the message is grouped. For example, "CHILDREN // DRIVE SLOWLY//" means the children should drive slowly, while "// CHILDREN DRIVE SLOWLY //" means children are driving cars slowly. Speakers use speech units connected to grammar like sentences, clauses, lists, and quotations. The positioning of main stress within speech units can also influence meaning and be used for emphasis, contrast, correction, or questioning tone.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    102 views4 pages

    Dividing Messages Into Speech Units

    Uploaded by

    Vanessa Cosgrover
    When speaking, dividing messages into speech units can change the meaning by altering how the message is grouped. For example, "CHILDREN // DRIVE SLOWLY//" means the children should drive slowly, while "// CHILDREN DRIVE SLOWLY //" means children are driving cars slowly. Speakers use speech units connected to grammar like sentences, clauses, lists, and quotations. The positioning of main stress within speech units can also influence meaning and be used for emphasis, contrast, correction, or questioning tone.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 4

    ORAL ENGLISH III

    37. Dividing messages into speech units

    When we speak we divide the words into groups. We call these groups speech units. By changing
    the way, we divide a message into speech units, we can change the meaning of the message.

    For example:

    CHILDREN // DRIVE SLOWLY// (The children are around here, so you should drive slowly)

    // CHILDREN DRIVE SLOWLY // (There are children driving cars in a slow speed)

    38. Speech units and grammar

    // There was a young boy who liked games // He liked cards // dice // and all guessing games //
    One day // he said to his sister // Guess how many coins I’ve got in my pocket // The boy’s sister
    said // If I get it right // will you give me one of them? // The boy // who was not very bright //
    replied // If you get it right // I’ll give you both of them // His sister // who was clever // won the
    two coins // of course //

    Notice that:
    • The speaker divides the text into speech units. The symbol // shows were the units are
    divided.
    • Speech units are often connected to grammar. For example, in the story above:

    Whole sentence // There was a young boy who liked games //


    Conditional clause // If I get it right //
    Relative clause // who was not very bright // //who was clever//
    Items in a list //dice // // and all guessing games//
    Quoting // He said to his sister // // The boy’s sister said //
    Adverb phrase // One day // // Of course //

    Sometimes, differences in grammar are reflected in the pronunciation. For example, in the box
    below, A and B are distinguished by the way messages are divided into speech units. Listen and
    compare the pronunciation.

    A B
    whole sentence I see. // You finished. // I// see you’ve finished. //
    relative clause /// The boy who was clever // The boy // who was clever//
    won// won //ç

    items in a list Lemon tea and chocolate Lemon, tea and chocolate,
    quoting “Who?” asked his sister. Who asked his sister
    adverb phrase I watched silently. She slept. I watched. Silently, she slept.

    Speakers may divide the message into speech units in different ways, if they choose. We may do
    this in order to give a special meaning.

    Normal: // I’ve told you before // I don’t like card games! //


    Special meaning: // I’ve told you before // I // don’t // like // card // games! — To give emphasis.
    (When someone is angry)
    39. Introduction to main stress

    Mr. Clark: // Ahem // Morning Alan // Sorry to disturb you //


    Alan: // Oh // Mr Clark // I was just making a phone call //
    Mr Clark: // A phone call // Oh // I thought you were asleep or something //
    Alan: // I was calling head office // and the put me on hold you see //
    Mr Clark: // No // I don’t see//
    Alan: // Well // I was waiting for ages // and the music’s so relaxing //
    Mr Clark: // Relaxing // Is that why you’re lying across the desk? //

    Normally the main stress is on the last content word in the speech unit, or one of the syllables in it, if is a
    longer word. This is often the last word, as indicated in the speech units below:

    // I was waiting for ages //


    // And the music’s so relaxing //
    //Is that why you’re laying across the desk? //
    // That’s because of the wind //
    // I was just making a phone call // — Here the main stress it’s not the last word because the last two
    words form a SINGLE COMPOUND with the stress in the first part.

    Other cases where the stress is not of the final phrase are:

    • When they have a function word or phrase


    For example: // Sorry to disturb you // // That was very clever of you //

    • When the end of the speech unit is a vague word or phrase, not important on the meaning
    For example: // I thought you were asleep or something // // And my papers were blowing all
    over the place //

    • When the speech unit ends with the name of the person addressed
    For example: // Yes Sir // // Morning Alan //

    • When the last content word is simply repeating something the other person just said:
    For example: // No // That’s because of the wind // // What wind? //

    40. Empathizing a contrasting opinion

    Normally the main stress goes on the last content word of a speech unit. But in conversation, speakers
    can choose to put the stress anywhere. We do this so that the listener will pay attention to the
    emphasized word.

    For example: // He won’t win // Who won // // He won’t // He will win // He won’t // I hope he wins // I
    hope he loses //

    Notice that:
    • To emphasize a word, each speaker makes it higher, louder or longer.

    • Each speaker Is emphasizing to show that their opinion is the other opposite of the other speaker.

    • Auxiliary verbs are normally unstressed but when emphasize them, they are stressed.

    • Auxiliary verbs are normally contracted. However, when we emphasize them, they are not contracted.

    • We can also give a different opinion by contrasting the pronoun: You’re wrong! You’re wrong!
    • Pronouns are normally unstressed. However, when we emphasize them, they are stressed.

    • We can also contract opinions by using a word with the opposite meaning and emphasizing it: I
    hope he wins! I hope he loses.

    Normal Emphasize word


    I’m ill. I am ill
    You’re right. You are right
    She’s late. She is late
    I like you. I like you
    I enjoyed it. I did enjoy it
    I’ve finished. I have finished
    He’ll win. He will win
    I can swim. I can swim

    41. Emphasising added details

    // My name is Schwartz // Pedro Schwartz //


    // I’m from Chile // the south of Chile //
    // I live in Puerto Montt // Well // near Puerto Montt //
    // Actually // I live on an island // an island called Chlioé
    // My grandparents were German // well // Swiss German in fact //

    // I hear you got a boat //


    // A small boat // Yes //
    // And a big house //
    // Well // It’s quite big // I suppose //
    // And you live in Hollywood//
    // Well, near Hollywood // Yes //
    // So you must be rich then?//
    // Well // Quite rich I guess //

    // Where are you from? // South India //


    Which part of India are you from // South India //

    When we give details we emphasize the new word. But when we give details with old details and
    new details we still empathize the new details.

    For example

    NEW: // My name is Swatch // OLD: // My name is Pedro Swatch //

    42. Main stress in questions

    In a serve question the speaker stresses the last content word.

    In a return question the speaker empathizes the pronoun.

    What’s your name? What’s your name?


    What do you do? What do you do?
    Where do you come from? Where do you come from?
    What do you do? I’m a student
    What do you study? Modern languages Where do you study? In Belfast

    43. Main stress for contrasting information

    // Excuse me // I think you’re on my seat //

    // Sorry // but it says seven A on my boarding card //

    // Yeah // So did I // What’s your seat number? //

    //Let’s see / Oh // It’s eight A //

    44. Emphasizing corrections:

    When we hear an error and we correct it, we emphazise the correct information,.

    Andy: // Let’s meet up tonight //

    Bella: // OK // When and where? //

    Andy: // How about the Blues Café? //

    Bella: // The Mews Café? // I don’t like that place //

    Andy: // No, the Blues Café // In Rawton Road //

    Bella: // Where’s Lawton Road? //

    Andy: // Not Lawton Road // Rawton Road // you know // ç

    45. Rising and falling tones

    Statement: ↓
    Open question: ↓
    Yes/No question: ↑

    You might also like