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Academic Communication for Advanced Secondary Schools Crafting meaning

Understanding and applying the primary stress in words correctly is crucial for clear
and effective communication in English.
(b) Secondary stress

When describing secondary stress in pronunciation, we are looking at a lighter
version of stress than primary stress. It is found on the second syllable of a word,
FOR ONLINE READING ONLY
making it stand out a bit but not as strong as the primary stress. In English, this type
of stress is used to highlight specific syllables in a word, making the pronunciation
sound more precise and easier to understand.

Activity 1�8

Use online/offline dictionaries to identify the primary and secondary stresses on
the following words:

1� Nouns: humanity, collocation, establishment, invitation, administration
2� Verbs: propagate, jeopardise, justify, disconnect, revamp

Intonation

Intonation refers to the rise and fall of the voice (tone) during speech, which is closely
linked to stress and the expression of mood or emotion. It is a crucial aspect of language
that, along with stress, helps convey the meaning or feeling behind the words spoken.
Intonation can indicate surprise, anger, interest, boredom, gratitude and more, making it a
key component of the “music of the language.” There are three main patterns of intonation
in English. The rising intonation (⸍) toward the end of a sentence, for example, “Have
you seen Mapalala anywhere?” This intonation suggests that the speaker is asking the
listener for clarification or information. The falling intonation (⸌) on the final stressed
syllable of a phrase or group of words. For example, “Do your responsibility, please”. It
usually denotes the conclusion of a sentence, the end of a thought, or a question for which
the speaker is waiting for an answer. It can be identified by the voice’s pitch falling off as
the sentence ends. This pattern suggests finality or certainty in the statement being made.
Furthermore, there are issues to note with regard to the rising and falling intonations.

1. Phrases with regular word order become questions when a rising intonation is applied;
e.g., (regular) She is the first female president, (rising intonation) She is the first
female president?
2. Questions that begin with interrogative pronouns have a rising or falling intonation
but often have a falling intonation. When such questions have a rising intonation, they
imply surprise or heightened interest in the response. See the following examples:

How was your day? (with a rising intonation)

10 Student’s Book Form Five

30-Jun-24 11:02:02 AM
Academic Communication.indd 10
Academic Communication.indd 10 30-Jun-24 11:02:02 AM