The Falling Tone

According to the width of the fall and its position in relation to the speaker’s voice range four relevant variants of the fall are distinguished.

1 The Mid Wide Fall ( m). This is the most common variety. It starts in the mid-high pitch zone and ends at the bottom of the voice range, e.g:

I saw him. I’ll report you to the headmaster.

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2 The High Wide Fall ( m). The voice falls from the high pitch zone and ends in the mid-low zone.

Examples:

I `did it! `Good! What gorgeous `flowers! _________ __________ _________________

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3 The Low Narrow Fall ( m). The voice goes down from the mid-low pitch level and ends at the bottom of the voice range.

E.g.: Nobody. It’s out of the question.

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4 The High Narrow Fall ( m). The voice falls from the high pitch zone and ends in the mid-high zone.

E.g.: `Sue! `Certainly!

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4.2.2 Functions of the Falling tone

A Falling tone is by far the most commonly used tone of all. It signals a sense of finality, completion, assertiveness, and so on. A speaker, by choosing a falling tone, also indicates to the addressee that that is all he has to say, and offers a chance to the addressee to comment on, agree or disagree with it. This tone does not solicit a response from the addressee. The falling pitch change is associated with finality and completeness, decisiveness, assertiveness, but each of its four common varieties has clearly distinct range of meanings.

1 The Mid Wide Fall (MWF) is the most neutral variety. Examples: I left him some money. What’s the ‘reason of that? Mike is pre paring for the final test.

2 The High Wide Fall (HWF) sounds complete, final, and insistent. It can express

- personal involvement, concern. E.g.: A: What do you think of Nick? – B: He’s a real bore. He talks about himself ‘‘all the `time!

- strong agreement, e.g.: It was fan`tastic!

- disagreement, protest, e.g.: A: You didn’t listen. – B: I `did.

- word/idea contrast, e.g.: A: I can’t stand Jane. - B: But you were so `pleased with her!

3 The High Narrow Fall (HNF) has the least degree of finality of all the falling tones. It sounds light and airy and is typically used in direct address and short comments expressing agreement, etc; e.g.: `Helen, | ‘come here. `Nice.

Very often the HNF is used to give extra prominence to words other than the nucleus, e.g.: The `giant| had ‘grown rich … .

4 The Low Narrow Fall (LNF) gives a detached, unemotional statement of fact. It often sounds cool, phlegmatic, and reserved, e.g.: A: Will you give him a ring? – B: Yes. A: Why didn’t you inter`fere? – B: I was a way.

Speech Exercises

Ex. 1 Read the phrases reproducing the indicated Falling tones:

Yes. Hours ago. Im`mensely. Certainly. By `all means. Then phone me about it. I’m a shop-assistant. I’d be `glad to. I’d `love to. Salinger, of course. The train’s coming. Right. `Fine. No. History, I would say. There’s a variety show on. You needn’t to.

Ex. 2 Read the same phrases in the conversational contexts:

1 A: Can you do me a favour? – B: Certainly. 2 A: Will she come back tomorrow? – B: Yes. 3 A: May I use your phone? – B: By all means. 4 A: When do we get there? – B: At about nine. 5 A: Who wrote ‘The Catcher in the Rye”? – B: J.D. Salinger, of course. 6 A: What subject are you best at? – B: History, I would say. 7 A: Do you remember what comes on next? – B: There’s a variety show on. 8 A: Must I do the shopping today? – B: You needn’t to. 9 A: Would you like to join us? – B: I’d `love to. 10 A: I could fetch another guitar. – B: That’d be `marvelous!

Ex. 3 Read out the mini-dialogues. Make B’s part sound definite and complete:

a) Show enthusiasm, personal involvement in the situation, or protest, word/idea contrast:

Model: Would you mind helping us with the translation? – B: I’d be `glad to!

1 A: Would you post this letter for me, please? – B: Certainly! 2 A: He told me he’d already booked the table. – B: I’m sure he had. 3 A: Will I meet him at Samantha’s? – B: Of course you will! 4 A: It was a great speech, wasn’t it? – B: It wasn’t. 5 A: Thought I was lucky for once. – B: You were lucky, Andy! 6 A: So it was all a huge success. – B: It was fantastic! 7 B: They’re expensive there. – B: Actually they’re not.

b) Express a neutral, weighty and serious attitude:

Model: A: Where does he come from? – B: Birmingham.

1 A: What’s your sister’s occupation? – B: She’s a teacher. 2 B: Could you give me Peter’s address? – B: I’ll find it for you. 3 A: Where are your seats? – B: In the stalls. 4 A: What do you like about Helen? – B: Her voice first of all. 5 A: Who is the letter from? – B: Aunt Emily. 6 A: Is Jack away? – B: No, but he’s leaving tomorrow. 7 A: What was your journey like? – B: Nothing to write home about. 8 A: Was Mollie pleased with her performance? – B: She wasn’t.

c) Express a cool, reserved, phlegmatic attitude:

Model: A: Must I finish the work now? – B: You needn’t.

1 A: What’s wrong with you? – B: I’ve got a temperature. 2 A: I can’t find my glasses anywhere. – B: They’re on the kitchen table. 3 A: She might have left you a message. – B: But she didn’t. 4 A: What’s on TV tonight? – B: A musical, I think. 5 A: Do you think he’ll suspect anything? – B: He won’t. 6 A: Why don’t you take another chance? – B: I’m going to. 7 A: Mary’s decided to stay. – B: I can’t care less.

Ex. 4Read the following utterance with the High Wide Fall.

Model: The 'journey was all ,right, but the ho'tel was `awful.

1 I asked him to help me but he wouldn’t. 2 Roger managed to solve one problem but created another. 3 We telephoned for an ambulance and they sent a fire engine. 4 We expected the results to be bad, but they were terrible. 5 He wanted to work in the library, but it was closed. 6 She went to buy a bicycle and came back with a car. 7 The old ladies wanted a football. 9 He needs to lose weight and he eats sweet things.