UNIVERSIDAD DE EL SALVADOR

FACULTAD MULTIDISCIPLINARIA PARACENTRAL

DEPARTAMENTO DE CIENCIAS DE LA EDUCACIÓN
LICENCIATURA EN ENSEÑANZA DE IDIOMAS EXTRANJEROS ESPECIALIDAD
INGLÉS-FRANCÉS

ENGLISH DIDACTICS II (DII274)

UNIT 1: TEACHING FOR LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE.

-SUPRASEGMENTALS.

TEACHER’S NAME: WILLIAM ERNESTO VAQUERANO

GROUP MEMBERS:
1- ROSA MARIA FLORES HENRIQUEZ
2- MORENA CONCEPCIÓN GONZÁLEZ
3- KARINA YAMILETH GRACIAS CASTRO
4- JULIO ARIEL MUNGUIA GONZÁLEZ
5- RENE ALEXANDER ORELLANA

SEMESTER: I-2024

“HACIA LA LIBERTAD POR LA CULTURA”

Definition
Suprasegmentals, also known as prosody, are elements of speech like pitch, stress,
rhythm and intonation that affect entire syllables, words, or phrases, rather than
individual sounds. These features are crucial for conveying meaning and emotion in
spoken language.
Example:
The cat sat on the mat.

They signal grammatical differences, emotions, and continuity that a native speaker
will automatically pick up on. It is incredibly important for ESL students to grasp
suprasegmental features both in theory and in practice.

The suprasegmental aspects of pronunciation:

● Pitch
It refers to how high or low your voice sounds. It's one of the tools your voice uses to
convey meaning and emotion beyond the individual words you say. Languages also
use pitch in another way, not to change word meaning, but to signal information at
the level of the discourse, or to signal a speaker’s emotion or attitude.
-Stating fact or asking question.
you went to the store.
-Expressing emotions.
wow!
-Sacarsm
Sure, that sounds like a great idea…

● Stress
Stress in speech refers to the emphasis placed on a particular syllable in a word or a
word within a sentence. It's how we modulate our voice to highlight certain parts of
what we're saying.
1.Stress results in increased loudness.
2.Exageration in sound segment.
3.Meaning distinction.
Presente-present.

There are three types of stress in English:

Word Stress: Emphasizing a single word most often communicates importance; it

identifies the main subject being spoken about.
Syllable Stress: This generally clarifies, rather than identifies, a subject.

Sentence stress: This is a great way to communicate the emotion behind a

conversation. Excitement, incredulity, or anger, are all communicated through stress
placed on a specific sentence.

● Rhythm
Often what comes to mind when one hears the word rhythm is music. In ESL, it’s an
apt comparison! Rhythm constitutes the rate of speaking – when one takes breaths
or breaks or injects facial expressions or hand movements. Rhythm includes
stressing certain syllables, stressing various words, and relaying patterns in phrases
that come together to form a cohesive thought.
-Dramatic emphasis
We need some milk
-Building suspense
There is something…under…the bed.

● Intonation
Intonation is used to emphasize and express attitude, emotion, seriousness, humor
or the focus of the sentence being spoken. Finding true connections in
communication relies heavily on intonation. In beginner English, intonation is used to
simply communicate the reason for speaking. As students advance, intonation is
used to signal how ideas are related to each other throughout the dialogue.
You went to the store.
I didn’t take your phone.
I saw an amazing movie yesterday.

Examples:
Pitch
Voice pitch can change with the rate of vibration of the vocal folds independently of
stress, also pitch pattern at sentence level is called intonation.

Examples:
This is my father
Is this my father?
That's a cat
Is that a cat?
Stress

In English is important because it can change the meaning or definition of a word

Example:
-Insult (n) [ ˈinˌsəlt ] -Insult (v) [ inˈsəlt ]

Pervert
ˈpərˌvərt
Pervert
pərˈvərt

Rhythm
Refers to the emphasis given to certain words within a sentence, helps to denote
patterns allowing the listener to anticipate and comprehend future speech.
-Content words
Nouns, main verbs, adjectives, adverbs
-Function words
Pronouns, prepositions, helping Verbs, determiners

*Students read books.

Intonation
Can be used to create a contrasting emphasis in sentences

Example:

I have a black car, not a red one

I have a black bicycle, not a black car.

How to improve your suprasegmental skills in language learning?

Improving your suprasegmental skills can greatly enhance your language learning
experience. The suprasegmental aspects of language include intonation, stress,
rhythm, and pitch. These elements play a crucial role in conveying meaning and
making your speech sound more natural. To improve your suprasegmental skills, you
can try the following suggestions:

1. Listen to native speakers: Pay attention to how native speakers pronounce

words and phrases, and try to imitate their intonation and rhythm.
2. Practice speaking aloud: Read aloud from texts or engage in conversations with
others. Focus on your stress patterns and try to mimic the natural rhythm of the
language.

3. Use multimedia resources: Watch movies, TV shows, or listen to podcasts in the

target language. This will expose you to different speech patterns and help you
internalize the suprasegmental aspects of the language.

4. Record and evaluate yourself: Record your own voice while speaking in the
target language and listen to it. Pay attention to your intonation, stress, and rhythm,
and identify areas for improvement.

5. Seek feedback from native speakers: If possible, find a language partner or a

native speaker who can provide feedback on your pronunciation and
suprasegmental skills.

Questions
1.It refers to the emphasis placed on a particular syllable in a word or a word within a
sentence.
a) Stress
b) Pitch
c) Rhythm

2. It constitutes the rate of speaking, when one takes breaths, breaks, injects facial
expressions or hands movements:
a) Rhythm
b) Intonation
c) Stress

3. It is used to emphasize and express attitude, emotion, seriousness or humor.

a) Intonation
b) Suprasegmental
c) Stress

4. It refers to the features of speech such as stress, intonation, pitch, and rhythm
that affect entire syllables, words or phrases, rather than individual sounds :
a) Suprasegmental
b) Word stress
c) Syllabus stress

5. It refers to how high or low your voice sounds:

a) Pitch
b) Rhythm
c) Intonation