Основная
Intonation in American English
Canadian English, General American and RP
Comparative Chart of Vowel Phonemes in
| CE | GA | RP | Examples |
| i | i | i: | seat |
| e, ε | ε, εə | e, ε | set |
| æ | æ | æ | sat |
| ı | į, ı | ı | sit, happy |
| з r | з r | з: | bird |
| ə r, ə | ə, Λ | ə | centre, data |
| a | a | υ | dot |
| a:, æ | æ, a | a: | dance |
| o | o | o: | sort, shawl |
| u | uə | u: | boot |
| Λ | Λ, зə, a | Λ | but, hurry |
| u | u | u | put |
| eı | eı | eı | bake, die |
| зı | aı | aı | bike, day |
| Λu | аu, а:, о: | аu | now |
| ou | ou, oı | ou | go |
| oı | oı, υı | oı | boy |
| (ır) | (ir) | ıə | here |
| (εr) | (εr) | εə | there |
| (or) | (or) | оə | more |
| (ur) | (or) | uə | sure |
American English intonation differs from British English intonation mainly in unemphatic, or emotionally neutral speech. Preterminal pitch contour in RP is gradually descending stepping, in GA it is mid-level or mid-wavy-level. The unstressed syllables in GA fall to a lower pitch, in RP unstressed syllables gradually descend. American English intonation produces an impression of level or monotonous melody. The GA and RP differences in the direction of the voice pitch may lead to functional or attitudinal differences. For example, "low head" in RP conveys detached, reserved, dispassionate, unsympathetic, unemotional, sometimes cold or dull attitude on the part of the speaker. In GA sentences like: Go out. Sit down, etc. pronounced with a low head and low fall would sound quite normal.
The GA general questions take a falling tone, in RP they are pronounced with the rising tone. The rising tone in GA general questions is used to show politeness, e.g. _______
Are you| \ reqdy? usual form Are you readypolite form ׀
The monotony of GA intonation is explained by the following factors: 1) pitch characteristics, 2) narrow range of the utterance, 3) slow tempo, 4) more complicated than RP rhythmical structure of intonation (RP unstressed vowels are characterized by qualitative reduction, in GA sounds in unstressed syllables are lengthened).
Differences between GA and RP sound, accentual structure and intonation do not affect the main language structures, therefore GA is only a variety of the English language and cannot be considered "American language" as some of the American linguists claim.
Given below are the diagrams in which vowel phonemes in Canadian English, General American and RP are summarized.
The norms of GA and RP pronunciation are highly variable. The variability of standard pronunciation should be taken into consideration when teaching spoken language.
Список литературы
1. Борисова, Л.В. Теоретическая фонетика английского языка / Л.В.Борисова. – Минск, 1980.
2. Зиндер, Л.Р. Общая фонетика / Л.Р. Зиндер. – 2-е изд., перераб. и доп. – М., 1979.
3. Теоретическая фонетика английского языка: учеб. для студентов пед. вузов и ун-тов / С.Ф. Леонтьева. – 3-е изд., испр. и доп. – М.: Изд-во «Менеджер», 2004.
4. Gimson, A.C. An Introduction to Pronunciation of English / A.C. Gimson. – London, 1964.
5. Ward, I. The Phonetics of English / I. Ward. – Cambridge, 1948.
Дополнительная
1. Антипова, А.М. Система английской речевой интонации / А.М.Антипова. – М., 1979.
2. Бондаренко, Л.В. Фонетическое описание языка и фонетическое описание речи / Л.В. Бондаренко. – Л., 1981.
3. Веренинова, Ж.Б. Фонетическая база английского языка / Ж.Б.Веренинова. – М., 1996.
4. Дубовский, Ю.А. Нормативные основы английской речевой интонации / Ю.А. Дубовский. – Минск, 1979.
5. Торсуев, Г.П. Строение слога и аллофоны в английском языке / Г.П.Торсуев. – М., 1975.
6. Швейцер, А.Д. Литературный английский язык в США и Англии / А.Д.Швейцер. - М., 1971.
7. Щерба, Л.В. Фонетика французского языка / Л.В. Щерба. – М., 1957.
8. Crystal, D. Prosodic Systems and Intonation / D. Crystal. - Cambridge, 1969.
9. Jones, D. The Pronunciation of English / D. Jones. – Cambridge, 1967.
10. Shakhbagova, D.A. Varieties of English Pronunciation / D.A. Shakhbagova. – M., 1979.
11. Vassilyev, V.A. English Phonetics. A Theoretical Course / V.A. Vassilyev. – M., 1970.
Словари
1. Hornby, A.S. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English / A.S.Hornby. – M., 1982.
2. Jones, D. English Pronouncing Dictionary Eleventh Edition. Reprinted / D.Jones. - 1957.
3. Wells, J.C. Longman Pronounciation Dictionary / J.C. Wells., 2000.
4. Longman Dictionary of American English. – London, 2000.
[1] Intonation compensates for the fixed word-order of English sentence.