nd abroad have thrown some light on the differences between AE and BE intonation systems.most research and specialist literature is largely devoted to the study of intonational differences of General American and RP, the following analysis will mainly concern itself with these two varieties of English.GA intonation has a general resemblance to that of RP. These are, however, quite a few noteworthy points of difference, both structural and functional.most characteristic RP pre-terminal pitch contour in emotionally neutral speech is the so called gradually descending stepping head , in which the stressed syllable syllables are made prominent by means of a step down in pitch. counterpart GA pre-terminal contours that have a wide occurrence in emotionally neutral, or unemphatic speech are :
) a level pre-terminal contours
) a wavy-level pre-terminal contour.level pre-terminal contour starts at a medium pitch and remains fairly even until the final rise or fall.The eveness of the tone is often not affected by any stressed syllables that may occur.mid-wavy-level contour is, actually, a variant of the mid-level contour: every stressed syllable has a wavy like motion, or a slightly rising-falling pitch. The unstressed syllables that precede or follow the stressed one are intoned on a lower pitch level. The waves are realized on the same medium pitch level. Sructural differences in the pre-terminal part concern the general movement the pitch contour: GA mid-level or mid-wavy-level vs RP descending-stepping contour and also the position of unstressed syllables intervening the stressed ones: in GA the unstressed syllables in the level and mid-wavy-level contour show a greater tendency to fall to a lower pitch; in RP in down-stepping sequence of stressed syllsbles the intervening unstressed syllables the intervening unstressed syllables may from either a gradual descent or may be said on the same pitch as the previous stressed syllable.
The development of the English language in Australia has its own history, which is comparatively short one: less than two centuries. The chief reasons for the development of Australian speech are linguistic and historica, though, as the majority of Australian linguists state, it is difficult to trace them very satisfactorily. p align="justify"> Linguistic evidence which would make it possible to follow the development of Australian speech almost does not exist. Historical knowledge of early Australian immigration is not very sufficient or precise, particularly in the matter: what parts of England the transported convicts and early free settlers came from. p> Australian speech, as well as Australian pronunciation, has always been subject to debate. Australian diphthongs resembling the Cockney diphthongs have been h...
