I.S.P. N˚8 “Alte.

Brown”
Teacher Education & Translation Programme
Phonology II
Source: O’Connor, J.D. & G.F. Arnold (1973) Intonation of Colloquial English. Essex, England: Longman Group Ltd.

THE TEN TONE GROUPS

A tone group can be defined as a group of tunes which are intended to convey a specific
attitude on the part of the speaker. O’ Connor J.D. & G.F. Arnold (1982) present ten tone
groups, whose names are devised to remind the learner of the pitch features of each of them.

The Low Drop: this tone group can be compared to a small child standing on
the bottom stair and jumping down to the foot of the staircase.

Unemphatic: (Low Pre-head) + (High Head) + Low Fall I 'don’t beˎlieve it.

Emphatic: High Pre-head + (High Head)+ Low Fall I said 'no such ˎthing.

(Pre-head) + Stepping Head + Low n’t e r t o ’re n .

Attitude of the speaker:

 Statements: with no head: detached, cool, reserved, dull; with a high head: categoric,
weighty, judicial.
 Wh- Questions: with no head: detached, flat, unsympathetic; with a high head:
searching, serious, intense, urgent.
 Yes/No Questions: with no head (in tags used as independent comments):
uninterested, hostile; with a high head: very serious, very strong.
 Commands: with no head: unemotional, calm, controlled; with a high head: serious,
strong.
 Interjections: with no head: calm, unsurprised, reserved; with a high head: very
strong.

See pg. 106-124 for examples.

The High Drop: this tone group can be compared to a parachutist descending
from a great height and finally landing.

Unemphatic: (Low Pre-head) + (High Head) + High Fall I 'liked it im`mensely.

Emphatic: High Pre-head e d e don’t ˚re ˋ ke t.

(Pre-head) + Stepping Head + High Fall They 'simply 'don’t kno 'what to `do.

(Pre-he d) () ˋ n ` n one ˋ nt n to do `t t.
 I.S.P. N˚8 “Alte. Brown”
Teacher Education & Translation Programme
Phonology II
Source: O’Connor, J.D. & G.F. Arnold (1973) Intonation of Colloquial English. Essex, England: Longman Group Ltd.

Attitude of the speaker:

 Statements: involvement, light, airy.

 Wh- Questions: brisk, businesslike, considerate, not unfriendly, lively, interested.
 Yes/No Questions: willing to discuss, skeptical; question tags used as independent
omment : rpr ed ept n e of t e tener’ prem e .
 Commands: suggesting a course of action.
 Interjections: mildly surprised, not so reserved.

See pg. 125-142 for examples.

The Take-Off: This tone group can be compared to a plane taking

off. First, the plane moves along the runway and then it rises into
the air.

Unemphatic: (Low Pre-head) + Low Head + Low Rise

t’ ˌnot o ˏb d.

Emphatic: High Pre-head + Low Head + Low Rise t o d dn’t e to t ˏ on .

Attitude of the speaker:

 Statements: encouraging further conversation, reserving judgment, appealing to the

listener to change his mind. In contradictions: resentful, deprecatory. In non-final
word groups: intending to continue; deprecatory.
 Wh- Questions: when the nuclear tone is on the interrogative word: wondering,
puzzled; calm but disapproving.
 Yes/No Questions: disapproving, skeptical.
 Commands: appealing to the listener to change his mind; calmly warning.
 Interjections: reserving judgment, calm, expressing casual acknowledgment.

See pg. 143-158 for examples.

The Low Bounce: This tone group can be compared to holding a ball at
rm’ en t high in the air and then throwing it to the ground. When you
have thrown it to the ground, it rebounds into the air.

Unemphatic: (Low Pre-head) + High Head + Low Rise W t’ ˏt t?

 I.S.P. N˚8 “Alte. Brown”
Teacher Education & Translation Programme
Phonology II
Source: O’Connor, J.D. & G.F. Arnold (1973) Intonation of Colloquial English. Essex, England: Longman Group Ltd.

re- e d o e ˏ o.

Emphatic: High Pre-head + High Head + Low Rise prom e on’t ˏte ˚ n one.

Pre-head + Stepping Head + Low Rise Come en e er o fee o ’d ˏ ke to.

Attitude of the speaker:

 Statements: soothing, reassuring, showing self-confidence. In echoes: questioning

with a tone of surprise. In non-final word groups: creating expectancy about what is to
follow.
 Wh- Questions: when the nuclear tone is on the interrogative word: puzzled. In
echoes: disapproving; sympathetically interested.
 Yes/No Questions: interested.
 Commands: soothing, encouraging, patronizing.
 Interjections: airy, casual, friendly, bright. In greetings: friendly, bright.

See pg. 158-169 for examples.

The Switchback: this tone group can be compared to enjoying a ride

on the switchback at a fair. It takes you down. Then, up and down and
up again.

Unemphatic: (Low Pre-head) + (Falling Head) + Fall-Rise

It  n’t ˚on ˚ e on of mone o kno .


Emphatic: High Pre-head + (Falling Head) + Fall-Rise t’ do for the ˚time being.

(Pre-head) + Sliding Head + Fall-Rise Yo ’ never be able to keep it up.

(Pre-head)+ High Fall + Fall-Rise It was an `absolutely ˋterrible party.

Attitude of the speaker:

 Statements: grudgingly admitting, reluctantly or defensively dissenting, concerned,

reproachful, hurt, reserved, tentatively suggesting. In echoes: greatly astonished.
 Questions: In echoes: greatly astonished; interested and concerned as well as
surprised.
 Commands: urgently warning with a note of reproach or concern.
 Interjections: scornful.

See pg. 170-190 for examples.

 I.S.P. N˚8 “Alte. Brown”
Teacher Education & Translation Programme
Phonology II
Source: O’Connor, J.D. & G.F. Arnold (1973) Intonation of Colloquial English. Essex, England: Longman Group Ltd.

The Long Jump: this tone group can be compared to a long jumper
at the Olympic Games. The long jumper runs along the track: Low
Pre-head. Then, he hits the board and his leap carries him
forwards and upwards: Rising Head. Finally, he falls into the sand
pit: High Fall.

Unemphatic: (Low Pre-head) + Rising Head + High Fall Well, 

n e re˚t rn
to`morro then?

Emphatic: High Pre-head+ Rising Head + High Fall t t’ 

do o ˚ ot of `good.

(Pre-head)+ Climbing Head + High Fall 

Why on earth did you  o ` o dn’t?

Attitude of the speaker:

 Statements: protesting, as if suffering under a sense of injustice.

 Wh-Questions: protesting, somewhat unpleasantly surprised.
 Yes/No Questions: willing to discuss but protesting the need for settling a crucial
point.
 Commands: recommending a course of action but with a note of critical surprise.
 Interjections: protesting, surprised.

See pg. 191-201 for examples.

The High Bounce: this tone group can be compared to making a

winning smash at table tennis. You hit the ball hard, shoulder
high: High Head. Then, the ball bounces up from the surface of
the table, some feet above the floor: High Rise.

Unemphatic: (Low Pre-head) + (High Head) + High Rise Yo t nk ’d en joy it?

Emphatic: High Pre-head + (High Head) + High Rise Yo en’t ˚ een t anywhere.

(Pre-Head) + Stepping Head + High Rise Would you 'mind if he 'comes on later?
 I.S.P. N˚8 “Alte. Brown”
Teacher Education & Translation Programme
Phonology II
Source: O’Connor, J.D. & G.F. Arnold (1973) Intonation of Colloquial English. Essex, England: Longman Group Ltd.

Attitude of the speaker:

 Statements: questioning, trying to elicit a repetition, but lacking any suggestion of

disapproval or puzzlement. In non-final word groups: casual, tentative.
 Wh-Questions: With the nuclear tone on the interrogative word: calling for a
repetition of the information already given; with the nuclear tone following the
interrogative word: e o n t e tener’ e t on before o n on to n er t. n
straightforward, non-echo questions: tentative, casual.
 Yes/No Questions: e o n t e tener’ e t on. n tr tfor rd non-echo
questions: light and casual.
 Commands and interjections: er n or p rt of t e tener’ omm nd or
interjection, but with no critical intention.

See pg. 201-214 for examples.

The Jackknife: this tone group can be compared to a springboard diver

in the middle of his jackknife dive. He is bent double, head and feet
both pointing to the water: Rise-Fall.

Unemphatic: (Low Pre-head) + High Head + Rise-Fall

n rd ˚ t to ear about it.

Emphatic: High Pre-head + (High Head) + Rise-Fall t t ˚re e p?

( re- e d) tepp n e d e- We pre tend o don’t kno m.

Attitude of the speaker:

 Statements: impressed, awed, complacent, self-satisfied, challenging, censorious,

disclaiming responsibility.
 Wh-Questions: challenging, antagonistic, disclaiming responsibility.
 Yes/No Questions: impressed, challenging, antagonistic.
 Commands: disclaiming responsibility, sometimes hostile.
 Interjections: impressed, sometimes a hint of accusation.

See pg. 214-231 for examples.

 I.S.P. N˚8 “Alte. Brown”
Teacher Education & Translation Programme
Phonology II
Source: O’Connor, J.D. & G.F. Arnold (1973) Intonation of Colloquial English. Essex, England: Longman Group Ltd.

The High Dive: this tone group can be compared to a swimmer making his
dive from a high board. First, he plunges in: High Fall. He disappears for a
second and then rises to the surface again further down the pool: Low Rise.

Unemphatic: (Low Pre-head) + (High Head) + High Fall + (Low Accents) + Low
Rise

e e o d ˚m n n t e ` orner’ been n longest.

Emphatic: High Pre-head + (High Head) + High Fall + (Low Accents) + Low Rise

` re o d re on you.

(Pre-head) + Stepping Head + High Fall + (Low Accents) + Low Rise

We Jo n nd m ` ennet re t e mo t ˏ ke to ˚ e p.

Attitude of the speaker:

 Statements: appealing to the listener to continue with the topic of conversation;

expressing gladness, regret, surprise.
 Questions: very emotive, expressing plaintiveness, despair, gushing warmth.
 Commands: pleading, persuading.
 Interjections: intensely encouraging, protesting.

See pg. 232-241 for examples.

The Terrace: this can be compared to watching a person walking

across the terrace at a hotel: High Head. Then, he descends to the
rose-garden overlooking the river: Mid-Level.

Unemphatic: (Low Pre-head) + (High Head) + Mid-Level

We n e o n t │( e dr nk.)

Emphatic: High Pre-head + (High Head) + Mid-Level

om er t e , (just carry on with it.)

(Pre-head) + Stepping Head + Mid-Level

or t e ke of pe e nd et │( nore er b d be or.)
 I.S.P. N˚8 “Alte. Brown”
Teacher Education & Translation Programme
Phonology II
Source: O’Connor, J.D. & G.F. Arnold (1973) Intonation of Colloquial English. Essex, England: Longman Group Ltd.

Attitude of the speaker:

 In all sentence types: In non-final word groups: marking non-finality without

conveying any impression of expectancy.
 Statements and interjections: In final word groups: calling out to someone from a
distance.

See pg. 243-252 for examples.