Intonation of parentheses

Parentheses express the speaker's attitude towards the utterance.

Parentheses at the beginning of the sentence

When the speaker doesn't attach any importance to the parenthetical words at all they do not form a separate intonation-group and are often unstressed and are pronounced very quickly.

e. g. àWell, I _\do. Well, I _\do.

If the speaker attaches more importance to parentheses, they form an intonation-group. In this case they are stressed and are pronounced with any nuclear tone: Low Fall, Low Rise, Mid-Level or Fall-Rise.

e. g. _\Well, | I _\do.

To à tell you the _/truth, | I ædon't 'want to _\go there.

> Well, | I _\do.

For my _\own _/part, | I should _\love it.

Exercises

1. a) Listen carefully to the following conversational situations. Concentrate your attention on the intonation of the replies:

B) Listen carefully to the replies and repeat them in the intervals. Have no pause after the parentheses. Make them stressed or unstressed but pronounce them a bit faster than the main utterance. c) Listen to the verbal context and reply in the interval. d) In order to fix intonation in your mind, ear and speech habits repeat the responses yourself until they sound perfectly natural to you. e) Listen to your fellow-student reading the replies. Tell him what his errors in intonation are.

2. a) Listen carefully to the following conversational situations. Concentrate your attention on the intonation of the replies:

B) Listen carefully to the replies and repeat them in the intervals. Have a short pause after each parentheses. Observe the slight difference in tempo, pronounce the parenthetical words or phrases a bit quicker. Make them sound more weighty and important than in Model 1. c) Listen to the verbal context and reply in the interval. d) In order to fix intonation in your mind, ear and speech habits repeat the responses yourself until they sound perfectly natural to you. e) Listen to your fellow-student reading the responses. Tell him what his errors in intonation are.

3. Listen to the verbal context suggested by your teacher. Respond by using the replies. Say what attitude you express:

4. Read the following sentences according to Models 1, 2. Use them in conversational situations:

1. So, if you come with me, I'll show you. 2. Yet, if you talk to her, you'll see that she is right. 3. Then, don't trouble to answer it. 4. Then, I don't know how to help her. 5. So, he is very lucky then, I think. 6. Now, why are there so many people here? 7. Still, there are five more days. 8. Of course, their furniture is more modern than ours. 9. Perhaps, I'll go there immediately. 10. Of course, I didn't know it. 11. Of course, I have been rather silly. 12. Perhaps, she is coming with us too. 13. Perhaps, that gentleman over there will be able to help you. 14. Come, don't worry about that. 15. Here, what's the trouble? 16. Here, somebody is knocking at the door. 17. Why, I didn't know he was there. 18. As a matter of fact, I like the idea. 19. As a matter of fact, I wanted to know what was worrying you. 20. As for me, I never take mustard or pepper. 21. As you know, I finished school in June. 22. As for me, I am a member of our English club. 23. As far as I know, you passed all your entrance exams with excellent marks. 24. Fortunately for me, it was a translated version. 25. As a rule, the plays are magnificently staged. 26. In fact, I would say, the further away the better. 27. I say, how black those clouds are getting. 28. For instance, when driving, they keep to the left-hand side of the road in England. 29. On the whole, I prefer a black hat. 30. You see, you haven't been married as long as we have. 31. First of all, let's see the house. 32. By the way, may I open the window? 33. In any case, before crossing the road, take care to look to your right. 34. I say, who's the boy, with whom I've been dancing?

5. Read the following sentences, according to Model 2. Use them in conversational situations:

1. Besides, I'm afraid I have a bad pain in my side. 2. Generally, I drink coffee in the morning. 3. Normally, we go for a walk in the evening. 4. Occasionally, we go to the South. 5. Besides, it's a pity to stay at home on such a fine day. 6. Personally, I've always wanted to be a teacher. 7. Personally, I'm not very keen on opera. 8. Besides, we do live nearer now. 9. Anyhow, who says I'm bad-tempered? 10. Anyhow, he'll be well looked after at the hospital. 11. However, he is always ten minutes late.

6. Complete the following sentences. Use them in conversational situations:

1. Well, you see,.... 2. You know,.... 3. Oh.....4. Look here,.... 5. Come,.... 6. Why.....7. I say,.... 8. Still..... 9. Now..... 10. Then,.... 11. Of course..... 12. Perhaps, 13. Luckily, 14. Fortunately,.... 15. Unfortunately.....16. However,.... 17. Anyhow,.... 18. Besides,.... 19. Normally,.... 20. Finally.....21. Personally,.... 22. Generally.....23. Probably,.... 24. Possibly.....25. Perhaps,.... 26. Maybe,.... 27. Surely,.... 28. No doubt.....29. Upon my word.....30. Not at all,.... 31. As far as I can see,.... 32. To my regret.....33. I am sorry to say.....34. At any rate,.... 35. In short..... 36. After all.....37. In any case,.... 38. At least.....39. On the contrary,.... 40. Above all.....41. Strictly speaking,.... 42. To tell you the truth,.... 43. As far as... is concerned,.... 44. You see,.... 45. As for me,....46. In my opinion.....47. By the by,.... 48. To begin with.....49. First of all.....

7. Translate from Russian into English. See that your Russian pronunciation habits do not interfere:

1. Послушай, где ты была? 2. Знаешь ли, я не люблю этот напиток. 3. Что касается меня, то я люблю ходить в кино. 4. Короче говоря, я позвонила туда. 5. Откровенно говоря, я не приготовила задание на сегодня. 6. Ну что я могу тебе сказать? 7. Итак, начнем сначала. 8. И все-таки, я люблю эту песню. 9. А теперь давайте спросим Аню об этом. 10. Конечно, я очень хотела поехать на юг. 11. Возможно, он прав. 12. Наверно, ему лет сорок. 13. Однако стало уже холодно. 14. Тем не менее, я ее пригласила. 15. К счастью, у меня были с собой часы. 16. Что касается меня, я встаю очень рано. 17. Несомненно, этот человек - знаменитый художник. 18. Действительно, почему он так плохо учится? 19. К счастью, я увидела Лену. 20. Несомненно, он очень талантлив. 21. Честное слово, я была там. 22. Во всяком случае, она оказалась права. 23. Насколько мне известно, она хорошо танцует. 21. Во всяком случае, его надо спросить об этом. 25. По-моему, это был Виктор. 26. Между прочим, почему ты не позвонил?

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