Intonation of Alternative Questions

1. Intonation of Alternative Questions

2. Alternative questions

• Friendly
• Neutral

3. Alternative questions

– form a combined tune in speech.
The common combinations of the nuclear
tones are:
- Low Rise + Fall
- Mid High Rise + Fall
- L Rise \ M -H Rise + L Rise \ M -H Rise

4.

The pattern Low Rise + Fall is used in all
kinds of situations, the pattern Mid High
Rise + Fall - in formal situations.

5.

The FNT in the last intonation group shows
that the list of the alternatives is complete:
- Is he 'coming on ´ Wednesday or
on ̀Friday?

6.

When the list of the alternatives is
incomplete the pattern L Rise \ M -H Rise
+ L Rise \ M -H Rise is used:
- 'Can she ˙play the ِ piano | or the ِ violin?

7.

• A negative reply is to an alternative
question with an incomplete list of choices
is “No”:
- 'Will you have some ´juice or ´soda-water?
- ֽNo, ِ thank you. I’ve 'just had some ̀tea.

8. Intonation of Disjunctive Questions

9. Disjunctive Questions

form a combined tune in speech.
The common combinations of the nuclear
tones are:
- Fall + Rise
- Fall + Fall

10. Disjunctive Questions

• Uncertainty DQ
• Certainty DQ

11. Uncertainty Disjunctive Questions

are used with the first type of the intonation
pattern (Fall + Rise):
-You’ve been going 'hungry all ̀day,| ´haven’t
you? – No, I haven’t. We went out to the
snack bar with Pauline.
This pattern shows that the speaker is not
sure of the answer, he will get the
listener’s opinion.

12. Certainty Disjunctive Questions

are used with the 2-nd type of the intonation
pattern (Fall + Fall):
I must 'get ˙off at the 'next ̀stop, ̀mustn’t I?
This pattern shows that the speaker is sure
of the answer, he will get. The speaker
expects the listener to agree with him.

13. Certainty Disjunctive Questions

• are used by the speaker rather to keep the
conversation going than to get new
information:
- It’s 'nasty ̀weather today,| ֻisn’t it? – ̀Awful.