Latisha

Several men and women believe that pronunciation is what makes up an accent. It may possibly be that pronunciation is extremely crucial for an understandable accent. But it is intonation that offers the final touch that makes an accent appropriate or native.

Intonation is the "music" of a language, and is maybe the most important element of a appropriate accent. Typically we hear an individual speaking with perfect grammar, and excellent formation of the...

Listen and Learn: The Intonation of Two-Word Expressions

A lot of people feel that pronunciation is what tends to make up an accent. It could be that pronunciation is extremely essential for an understandable accent. But it is intonation that gives the final touch that makes an accent correct or native.

Intonation is the "music" of a language, and is perhaps the most critical element of a appropriate accent. Typically we hear someone speaking with best grammar, and best formation of the sounds of English but with a tiny one thing that gives her away as not being a native speaker.

For that reason, it is needed to understand that there is more than the correct pronunciation of the vowels and consonants of a language. This is extremely essential and we do pressure it in other articles. But it is only one of the 3 components to an accent, pronunciation, intonation, and linking.

In other places we will look at the right pronunciation of vowels and consonants, and linking, the way that syllables within a word, and the starting and ending of words come with each other.

But in this article we will appear at how the distinction that intonation makes in the everyday use of a proper North American English accent. The practice will help you to discover, practice, and master the various intonation patterns that you will discover as you concentrate far more on your use of North American English.

Two Word Pressure

Realizing when and where to tension the words you use is really critical for understanding, and consequently, as element of a great accent. A clear instance is that of pressure in two word expressions.

According to no matter whether it is an ordinary two-word expression or a specific, set expression, the place of the pressure modifications. In an ordinary expression the two words are utilized to describe one thing like a "white House" (which means a home that is painted white, and not blue or gray). In this case the most critical note is the noun due to the fact we are talking about a residence that occurs to be white. Similarly, a "fat BOY" is an overweight young male.

But occasionally short two word expressions are set or "consecrated", (that is, they mean one thing particular) and have to be created different from comparable expressions. A single example is "the WHITE house" exactly where Mr. Bush lives. In this case, the emphasis is on the adjective because we are a lot more interested in stressing that it is the house that is recognized because it is white. In the very same way, "FAT boy" is the nickname of a boy, selected since the word fat emphasizes his weight.

It will be beneficial for you to be aware of both varieties of two word expressions. Here is a list of a couple of that will get you pondering and give you some practice in identifying them and making use of them properly. Underline the syllable that is stressed, and write a short explanation, for both uses of each phrase. I begin the physical exercise with two examples. You do the rest. Make confident you say the phrases OUT LOUD!

WHITE house

In Washington

white Residence

Home painted white

LIGHT bulb

carpet cleaning phoenix

Shines with electrical energy

Light BULB

A bulb that is not heavy

Now do these, underling the syllable that is stressed, and defining the word that has the indicated intonation.

Dark space, Dark room

A cold fish, A gold fish

The paper box, The paper box

An old important, A door crucial

A nice watch, A wrist watch

A sticky internet, A spider net

A clean cup, A coffee cup

A toy gun, A water gun

A vivid star, A movie star

A new ball, A foot ball

A sharp knife, A steak knife

An old brush, A hair brush

A dry leaf, A fig leaf

A pointy tack, A thumb tack

A blackboard, A black board

A green residence, A green residence

For far more articles on intonation, search with the keyword "intonation".