THE THREE TS:

TONALITY, TONICITY &

TONE
 TONALITY
The division of the spoken material into chunks is known as
TONALITY.

These chunks are known as INTONATION PHRASES or IPS.

The symbols ‘ I ’ and ‘ II ’ represent the boundaries between IPs.
In general, we make each clause into a separate IP.
However, the speaker does not inevitably have to follow the
rule of an IP for each clause.
There are cases in which many different types of chunking
are possible.
For example:
We don’t know who she is.
Could be divided into:
A- We don’t know I who she is II
B- We don’t I know who she is II
C- We I don’t know I who she is II
 TONICITY
TONICITY refers to the decision of which word is to be
accented in an IP.
In other words, it refers to selecting a suitable location for the
nucleus (main accent).

To highlight an important word in English we accent it. In

other words, we add pitch prominence (a change in pitch).

The most important accent in an IP is known as the

NUCLEUS.
THE NUCLEUS
Depending on the circumstances and the meaning, the
nucleus can be put in various places.
For example the statement ‘ We are planning to fly to
Italy’ could be said as:
(Reference: the word in capital letters is the nucleus)

A- We are planning to FLY to Italy.

B – We are planning to fly to ITALY.
C- WE are planning to fly to Italy.
 TONE
TONE refers to selecting the kind of pitch
movement (tone) to be used in the most
important word of the IP.

The same nucleus in the IP could be said with

different tones with a resulting change in
meaning.
 EXAMPLE OF TONE SELECTION

For example:
‘ Margaret Atwood is a writer ’ Here I’m proclaiming a
\

new fact by using a fall.

‘ Margaret Atwood is a v writer ’ Here I’m signaling a

contrast between writer and some other profession by
using a fall-rise.
EXERCISE