PROSODY
I invite you to listen to these two audio samples, before we break down some of the prosodic features they demonstrate:
Sample 1
Sample 2
RHYTHM + TEMPO
- HURRY UP AND WAIT: The rhythm of this accent has a tendency to move between fast speech – when speaker is confident/has a hold of their thought – to slow speech or pauses – when thinking/searching for a word. (This slowing can also be used for emphasis – see the STRESS section below.)
There isn’t, therefore, a consistent tempo to the speech. Rather, while speakers often do speak quite quickly, their tempo varies based on the aforementioned rhythm.
** I invite you to listen again to Samples 1 and 2 (above)! **
Further samples:
- TYPEWRITER: There can be a percussive element to the speech, with speakers articulating their consonants rather crisply. Think of a typewriter! (And to tie in the ‘hurry up and wait’ rhythmic element – think of someone clacking away on a typewriter, pausing briefly to gather their next thought or read over their work, and then clacking on).
** I invite you to listen again to Samples 1 and 2 (above)! **
Further samples:
PITCH
- HILLS AND PLATEAUS: Thoughts/phrases in this accent on a ‘hill’ – a rising tone – or a ‘plateau’ – a tone not higher or lower than the one or two preceding it. To make it simpler; I have rarely observed a downward inflection at the end of thoughts or phrases. Pitch tends to drop in the middle of a thought and either climb or plateau toward the end.
** I invite you to listen again to Samples 1 and 2 (above)! **
Further samples:
-pitch chart of the above audio clip (from 0:02 seconds):
STRESS
Notice how our friend uses volume and length to place stress on the words ‘languages‘ and ‘huge‘ in the following clip:
Likewise, in this next clip, our friend uses volume and length to emphasize the word ‘got‘: