Intonation in compound and complex sentences

1.

Intonation in compound
and
complex sentences

2.

Compound sentence
Independent clause (1) + independent clause(2)
The sequence of tones in compound sentences consisting of two or
more coordinated clauses depends on the degree of their semantic
unity.
If the non-final intonation group (1) is semantically independent and
does not imply continuation the low falling terminal tone is used.
It was ꞌonly ↘Sunday l and I ꞌcouldn’t ꞌgo ꞌhome till ↘Wednesday l – or
ꞌTuesday the ↘soonest. ll (J. D. Salinger)
In case the idea of the non-final clause (1) is not completed and
continuation is implied, the low rising or falling-rising tones are
recommended.
He ꞌnodded in a↗greement l but his ↘eyes ↗glittered l with ꞌsilent
ꞌtriumph and conꞌtempt for the ↘victory.ll
. The terminal tone of the final clause (2) is determined by the
communicative type of the sentence and the attitude conveyed by
the speaker

3.

Complex sentence
Principal clause (1) + subordinate clause(2)
Complex sentence contains the principal
clause and one or more subordinate clauses.
The latter may follow the principal clause,
precede it or break the main clause into two
parts.

4.

Complex sentence
Principal clause (1) + subordinate clause(2)
one syntagm
If the subordinate clause in post-position (2) and the principal clause
(1) present a single semantic whole, they do not form separate
intonation groups. The choice of the final terminal tone in this case is
determined by the communicative type of the sentence.
You can ꞌstay here as ꞌlong as you ↘want. ll
ꞌDoesn’t it ocꞌcur to you that I’m in ↗charge here?ll

5.

Complex sentence
Principal clause (1) + subordinate clause(2)
two syntagms
If the principal clause (1) implies continuation or each of the clauses is
semantically independent, they arrange separate information groups.
The principal clause (1) may be pronounced with the falling, rising or
even falling-rising tones.
You can ↘drive l if you ↘like. ll
I ꞌcan’t ↗see l ꞌwhy you ꞌshouldn’t ꞌtake at ꞌleast ꞌtwo ↘more. ll
ꞌDoesn’t it ↘matter to ↗you l ꞌwhat ꞌpeople ↗do to me? ll

6.

Complex sentence
Principal clause (1) + long subordinate clause(2)
Long subordinate clauses may fall into a number of intonation groups.
In this case the principal clause does not necessarily form a separate
intonation group. The borderline between the intonation groups often
passes within the subordinate clauses.
I ꞌwonder how ꞌmuch ↘longer l I can ꞌgo on ꞌwatching you ↘two l
ꞌtearing the ꞌinsides out of each ↘other. ll

7.

Complex sentence
subordinate clause (1) + principal clause (2)
Subordinate clauses preceding the principal clause form separate
intonation groups as a rule. The terminal tone of the first intonation
group is determined by its semantic value.
ꞌWhat ↘they had ֽdone l ↘he could ֽdo. ll
If ꞌthat’s ꞌhow you ꞌwant it l ꞌdon’t ꞌask ↘me to ֽhelp aֽgain.ll

8.

«Практическая фонетика английского языка», М.А.
Соколова, К.П. Гинтовт, Л.А. Кантер, Н.И. Крылова, И.О.
Тихонова, Г.А. Шабадаш, ВЛАДОС, 2003.