Intonation Phrases in Phonetics

Intonation Phrases in Phonetics In phonetics, an intonation phrase is a stretch (or chunk) of spoken material that has its own intonation pattern (or tune). Also called an  intonation group, phonological phrase, tone unit, or tone group. The intonation phrase (IP) is the basic unit of intonation. In a phonetic analysis, the vertical bar symbol (|) is used to represent the boundary between two intonation phrases. Examples and Observations When speakers produce words in a row, we can usually observe that they are structured: individual words are grouped together to form an intonation phrase... Intonation phrases can coincide with breath groups..., but they do not have to. Often a breath group contains more than one intonation phrase. As with all other phonological units, it is assumed that speakers have a mental representation of intonation phrases, i.e. they know how to produce speech structured into intonation phrases and they rely on this knowledge when listening to the speech of others. Within an intonation phrase, there is typically one word that is most prominent... Some utterances might contain just one intonation phrase, others might contain several of them. Moreover, speakers can put utterances together to form larger stretches of speech or discourse... Intonational phrasing in English can have a meaning-distinguishing function. Consider utterances 11a and 11b: (11a) He washed and fed the dog. (11b) He washed | and fed the dog. If the intonation phrase He washed and fed the dog is produced as one intonation phrase, its meaning is that a person both washed and fed a dog. Conversely, if the same utterance is produced as a sequence of two intonation phrases with an intonation boundary after washed (indicated by the symbol |), the meaning of the utterance changes into someone who washed himself and fed a dog. (Ulrike Gut, Introduction to English Phonetics and Phonology. Peter Lang, 2009) Intonation Contours Intonation often does serve to convey information of a broadly meaningful nature . . .. For example, the falling pitch we hear at the end of a statement in English such as Fred parked the car signals that the utterance is complete. For this reason, falling intonation at the end of an utterance is called a terminal (intonation) contour. Conversely, a rising or level intonation, called a nonterminal (intonation) contour, often signals incompleteness. Nonterminal contours are often heard in the nonfinal forms found in lists and telephone numbers. (William OGrady et al., Contemporary Linguistics: An Introduction, 4th ed. Bedford/St. Martins, 2001) Tonality (Chunking) The speaker does not necessarily have to follow the rule of an IP for each clause. There are many cases where different kinds of chunking are possible. For example, if a speaker wants to say We dont know who she is, it is possible to say the whole utterance as a single IP ( one intonation pattern): We dont know who she is. But it is also possible to divide the material up, in at least the following possible ways: We dont know | who she is. We | dont know who she is. We dont | know who she is. We | dont know | who she is. Thus the speaker may present the material as two, or three, pieces of information rather than a single piece. This is tonality (or chunking). (J. C. Wells, English Intonation: An Introduction. Cambridge University Press, 2006) The Position of Intonation Phrase Boundaries The position of intonation phrase boundaries shows a good amount of variability. These have been studied in English on the basis of positions of possible pauses within clauses (Selkirk 1984b, Taglicht 1998 and references there) and positions of obligatory pauses (Downing 1970). . . . The core result is that root clauses, and only these, are bounded by obligatory intonation phrase breaks. (Root clauses are clauses [CPs] not imbedded inside of a higher clause that has a subject and a predicate.) (Hubert Truckenbrodt, The Syntax-Phonology Interface. The Cambridge Handbook of Phonology, ed. by Paul de Lacy. Cambridge University Press, 2007)

Society Goes Pop essays

Society Goes Pop essays In the realm of the music industry, pop music reigns. It seems as if every week another pop star is born, and true music lovers observe these teenage sensations and ask what makes this guy or girl so much different from all the others? This is a question no one can really answer, because in the last decade or so there has been no difference. Pop music does not change. But this is where it gets interesting. Its not even about the music anymore. When listeners here pop music, they can automatically associate the genre with good looking teenage kids who may be able to carry out a note or two. This association sparks controversy. And controversy creates problems. Rarely do pop stars play instruments, and most are not very good vocalists. So, what does it take? What exactly does it take to become a pop star? It no longer matters if you have a good voice or any musical talent at all for that matter. In reality, you need no talent. If you have a bright smile and sex appeal, yo u are a potential pop star. Due to the medias superficial advertisement and lacking creativity of pop music, it cannot truly be appreciated let alone held on a pedestal above musicians trying to fulfill their dreams playing their own music and doing it well. American Idol. Everybodys eyes light up when they hear those words. Well allow me to share a personal account of the mayhem that this show became. I went over to my girlfriends house where her and her girlfriends were watching American Idol. Upon arrival, I stood at the front door, knocking for about fifteen minutes, and finally went around to the side and jumped up, banging on the window in order to break the trance this show had put on the group of girls. They did not even notice me knocking at the door which was directly next to the room they were all in. I walked in and no one even talked to me because they were so involved in thi...

Asias Global Future in Business Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Asias Global Future in Business Culture - Essay Example This paper makes a conclusion that that although globalisation is likely to bring about a gradual change in Asian business culture, it is highly unlikely that the Asia, which consists of many different cultures, religions and schools of thought can be radically changed as a whole. Americans still have a unique culture and for that matter a business culture despite being exposed to the attention and criticism of business people, governments and religious groups from all over the world. The way in which things are done in a country or a homogeneous culture have been shaped over prolonged periods of time and business culture also includes components that are of benefit to vested interests in a society along with religious values that are guarded with great zeal. Hence, although the forces of globalisation are likely to bring about greater understanding and perhaps some good ideas, any change in Asian business culture is likely to be far more gradual. Even though people in certain areas of a country are exposed to interactions with foreigners, not all of the people and regions within a vast country are likely to be able to benefit from such interactions. Exposure to foreign media does not bring about radical change because what is viewed is considered to be an interesting cultural oddity which can be seen but not practised. Business people deal with situations in order to try and maximise gain and thus a lot of the so called business culture is designed to protect vested interests.

How Individual Beliefs About Illness Affect Health and Treatment Essay

How Individual Beliefs About Illness Affect Health and Treatment - Essay Example Psychology is used to study the mental processes and behavior of individuals, and differs from subjects such as biology, sociology, anthropology, economics, political science, and neuroscience in many ways. Mainly - and perhaps most importantly - it differs in that it is primarily concerned with not only the biological or neural processes, but more so with the interaction of mental processes and behavior and the overall processes of a system. Psychology can be framed in terms of two particular theories: phenomenological and information processing. An understanding of the brain and its functions are also included in the psychological theory and practice, and the idea of psychology is connected with a vast amount of subjects in the general society of today. Health psychology is similar to basic psychology in many ways, but the differences are more crucial; it is the use of psychological principles to promote health and prevent illness. Health psychology seriously considers the biological, cognitive, behavioral, emotional, social, psychosomatic and environmental factors and how they relate to health and illness. The objective of this form of psychology is to determine the connections between psychological factors and how they relate to a person's health. There are specific behaviors which may lead a person to illness, ... The objective of this form of psychology is to determine the connections between psychological factors and how they relate to a person's health. There are specific behaviors which may lead a person to illness, and the primary purpose of health psychology is to determine these causations and to attempt to understand why a person would behave in this way. "There are many examples of this. Smoking, diet, and regular exercise all contribute to the formation of disease. Individuals with thrill seeking personalities are more likely to drive fast, making them more likely to injure themselves in car accidents." ("Wikipedia", 2006). How can Individual Beliefs About Illness Affect Health and Treatment In the health and treatment of a person, there are many factors which are undeniably involved. The psychology of a person and the matter in which it affects their well being is a crucial factor in this discussion, and must be properly understood and addressed. The Health Belief Model (HBM) was originally developed by Godfrey Hochbaum, Stephen Kegels and Irwin Rosenstock, and its initial purpose was to be "a systematic methodusedto explain and predict preventive health behavior." (McCormack Brown, 1999). In rather relative terms, the HBM focused on the relationship of health behaviors, practices and the utilization of health services. It was a rather intricate tool at the time it was created, but as of then has been revised to include general health motivation for the purpose of distinguishing illness and sick-role behavior from health behavior. In other words, the HBM studies the being of a person's motivation to undertake a health behavior and all the categories which this includes: individual perceptions, modifying behaviors, and

Conflict Management - Intrapersonal, Intergroup and Interpersonal Research Paper

Conflict Management - Intrapersonal, Intergroup and Interpersonal Types of Conflicts - Research Paper Example Organizations undergo changes due to new technological, political and social developments that affect them or due to changes in the competitive force. As people may hold a different view about the change and the future direction of an organization, conflicts may arise (Mullins). Personality Clashes: Individuals' personalities differ widely due to differences in their levels of maturity, emotional stability and their behaviour. When they do not recognize or appreciate these differences, conflicts occur. Differences in the value set: Different people have different opinions, values and beliefs. When people with contradicting values and beliefs interact with each other, conflicts are likely to occur. These conflicts are often irrational and difficult to be resolved (Newstorm). Threats to status: Most individuals associate their identity with their status in society or organizations. When an individual feels that another person's acts may harm or damage his image, which in turn may affect his status, conflict is likely to arise. Differences in Perceptions: People perceive different things, issues and their environment differently. When they act as though their perception is the only reality, without attempting to understand or accept another person's view, conflicts arise (Newstorm). Conflicts are common in all organizations and occur when people fail to arrive at a consensus regarding the organizational goals or the means to achieve them (Falletta). Organizational conflicts can be classified as follows: According to most behavioural theories, people are motivated to achieve a goal either when meeting the goal results in the satisfaction of a need, or when the incentives for achieving the goal are attractive. However, this is not as simple as it seems.

The star of David Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The star of David - Essay Example The first historical evidence of Star of David is referred to the third century A.D. and it was found on the tombstone in Italian city of Taranto. In literature it's not mentioned until the twelfth century A.D. and it was first found only in the Eshkol ha-Kofer of the Karaite Judah Hadassah (12th century literary Hebrew piece): Hebrew historians note that the Star of David appeared on Jewish amulets approximately in the twelfth century. It was signed on amulets on the hand with other symbols such as pentagrams, stars, the name of god in Hebrew, etc. Nevertheless it's very interesting and probably strange that pentagram, not the hexagram (the Star of David) was mostly spread in magic symbols and attributes of Jewish cult. Scientists and archeologists are not even sure if the Star of David had any similar origins in any culture of ancient Mediterranean: Hellenic or Coptic. Some of historians assume that it might be primary used by Jewish sect of Kabbalah which adopted hexagram from Templars. Jewish sect of kabala uses David star as amulets placing it in glass spheres or using it simply as an amulet and sigh. The spread of usage of Star of david begins in the 14th century in Jewsih communities of Europe. It's a well-known fact that the Star of david was used as decoration on Tanakh of Rabi Rabbi Yoseph bar Yehud ben Marvas from Toledo, Spain. The function of Star of David in synagogues was to carry protective magic powers against evil. It also becomes the element of architectural ensemble in synagogues. Hexagrams are found in ornaments of cathedrals in Brandenburg and Stendhal, but it's interesting that in the ancient Jewish temple of Tell Hum it's not present and pentagram is present on its walls instead. It's a historical fact that the Czech king of bohemia Charles IV issued the red flag with Shield of David to Juwish community of Prague in 1354. But Jews of Hungary had a red flag with pentacles. So it would be inaccurate to talk about hexagram as the symbol of Judaism and Jews back then. Moreover the majority of people in Middle Ages associated Jews with menorah rather than with another symbol of their identity. The choice of hexagram according to modern rabbis was not sudden, as Bible scriptures have enough evidence that salvation will be associated with star. No wonder that geometric figure close to star was chosen for the role now played by the Star of David. As it was mentioned above Torah tells that, the Messiah, will have association with star, symbolizing coming new era. And according to Old Testament Balaam had foretold the coming salvation of the people of Israel n following scriptures: "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star (Heb. Cochav) shall come forth from Jacob, and a scepter shall rise from Israel, and shall crush through the forehead of Moab, and tear down all the sons of Sheth. Numbers 24:17" (from Kasdan, Barney THE STAR OF DAVID http://www.kehilatariel.org/tract002.html) As for the meaning of the Star of David it's different for Judaists and for those who observe the cult of Kabala. Rabi describe its meaning as the symbol of unity with god: "In

Autobiographical Film vs Autobiographical Prose Essay Example for Free

Autobiographical Film vs Autobiographical Prose Essay Autobiographical film, like prose, is filled with the memories of the major events in ones life. In prose, authors give detailed descriptions of their past, while in film directors are able to employ visuals and the use of song and voice-over to illustrate someone elses life or his or her own. Autobiographies are supposed to portray ones life truthfully and accurately; however, most contain stretched truths and over-dramatized events or emotions. In the film medium there is more opportunity for fiction than in prose. Jonathan Caouettes Tarnation and Agnes Vardas The Beaches of Agnes are two differing documentaries that explore this idea. Throughout these two documentaries the directors make use of visuals and sound effects to elicit an emotional reaction from the viewers. The use of these effects allows the audience to better understand how the director remembers a certain event and how it affects them. One of the frequently used elements in documentaries is re-enactment. While this can be helpful in portraying an event, if you dont have real footage it allows for over dramatization and interpretation from the actor playing the role. The actor can listen to how the director wants it to be however they could never fully portray the event truthfully because they were not present for the actual event. This allows for major discrepancies in the retelling of ones past. In a review of Tarnation Michael Bronski discusses how the extent of horrific psychic and medical destruction here is overwhelming (if not based on fact, Tarnation would play like a second rate John Waters film). The reality of the film reminds audiences of the fragility of life and how quickly things can change. Bronski goes on to discuss how the facts of Tarnation really give the film power, emphasizing the idea that truth can evoke just as powerful a reaction as a manipulated re-enactment. Using re-enactments in autobiographical film can force the audience to wonder about the level of truth in a scene. Has the scene been manipulated because it was more entertaining than the actual event or did the actor allow his or her own interpretation of the event to seep through and create an entirely new scene? Caouette filmed the majority of his life; therefore, the use of re-enactment was unnecessary. This almost constant day to day filming really helped to capture the essence of Jonathans life and how he viewed everything that was happening. Though Caouette filmed almost every day, the film wasnt presented in raw form. Tarnation was edited down and pieced together. Throughout the film there were moments where editing was more obvious than others. Specifically the scene where Jonathan is on the phone with someone from the hospital. He is checking on his mothers condition after a Lithium overdose. In between the scenes of that phone conversation there is a clip of him vomiting. The audience later learns that this is because he is severely ill as a result of the stress. When this scene is shown, the sounds of him vomiting are hear but visually it looks as though he is simply coughing into the toilet. This leads the viewer to believe that perhaps this was placed there for dramatic effect. Another example would be the way the entire first scene is presented. It is clear the phone conversation has been cut and spliced. One scene is of Jonathan completely crumbling emotionally from the news of his mothers health, it lasts only for a second and then in the following scene hes completely collected and calm. It is evident that it is being presented to evoke a specific reaction from the audience rather then presenting it truthfully as it actually happened. Fiction can also find its way into autobiographic film in that people behave differently when in front of a camera. They might see it necessary to put on a show rather than be themselves because of their discomfort with being documented. In many scenes when Jonathan is filming Renee she becomes very excited and begins to behave in a way that makes her look as if she is acting for the camera instead of just being herself. Another example of altered behavior because of the presence of the camera would be when Jonathan confronts his grandfather Adolph about his decision for Renee to undergo shock therapy. Adolph becomes very defensive and begins to close himself off because of the camera. He says to Jonathan Take that away, take that away, I dont want to be photographed by him. People begin to worry more about the way they come across once they realize that they are being closely watched and documented. In Agnes Vardas The Beaches of Agnes, Varda uses quite a few re-enactments to illustrate scenes from her childhood. Haden Guest discusses Beaches in Emotion Picture. She focuses mostly on her style as she recreated the memorable moments of her past. Guest writes, The re-creation of childhood memories in evocatively restaged family photographs to the more abstract recreation of Varda and her crew assembling a fragile, open-air gallery of mirrors on a gusty beach. Audiences either find these recreations of past events helpful in gaining a better understanding of Vardas life or somewhat dishonest and overly staged. Again, re-enactments sort of lose the truth and allow the director to manipulate the audience into feeling one way about whatever it is they are presenting. Varda also chose to include footage of her and the crew working on the film, however its left up to the audience to decide whether this is a moment of authenticity or yet another staged manipulation for entertainment sake. Throughout Agnes Vardas film she has many imaginative scenes. There are scenes of her staring blankly into the camera and walking backwards through places she once lived. Though this is in the film to illustrate that she is going backwards in time to tell her story it takes way from the portrayal of her story. Its included in the film for an artistic purpose rather than for one of truth and accuracy. In one scene her friend Chris Marker appears in the image of a cat and his voice is distorted to sound like a robot of sorts in a staged conversation with Varda. This scene, among many others, seems very whimsical and far from what actually took place in her past. Aside from fictitious imaginative scenes, The Beaches of Agnes strays from the autobiographical film genre, in that when Varda explores her past she ends up becoming more interested in something that she discovers on this journey that has nothing to do with her story. When she returns to her childhood home she becomes fascinated with the elderly doctor who now owns it rather than focusing on the life she lived there. In his review on Beaches, Haden Guest writes †¦the film frequently wanders away from its purported subject in order to learn more about the various people encountered along the way. Its as if she is making two movies, one about her past and the other about the people she met on the journey to making the film, but attempting to put them all into one. It seems the goal of The Beaches of Agnes is not to serve as a confessional narrative but an exploration into her past with a focus on the people she encountered rather than on herself. In film it is very easy for fiction to slip in and take control for entertainment value, whereas in prose there is a lesser opportunity. Both Jonathan Caouette and Agnes Vardas styles of filming allow for fiction, whether it be through editing, reenactment or other elements of film. Each of these directors classify their films in the autobiographical genre which means their films should present their lives truthfully and accurately. However, in both films it is clear that each director has manipulated footage or used reenactments to present their lives in a different way. Neither film is one hundred percent truthful. These films should not contain over dramatizations or stretched truths. When tackling the genre of autobiographical film it is important to portray oneself and ones story in an honest light.