Intonation and Meaning in English 语调与语义

① 语调影响词义：

project: /prə'dʒekt/ - 动词；/'prɒdʒekt/ - 名词
record: /rɪ'kɔ:d/ - 动词；/'rekɔ:d/ - 名词

② 语调影响句义：

例：You're hungry.
如果用falling intonation（降调）：表示make a statement
如果用rising intonation（升调）：表示ask a question

③ 语调影响说话人的意思：

In England, people don't mean what they say, and they don't say what they mean.
有时，一句话的表面意思并不是说话人真正表达的想法，所以我们需要依靠语调去判断。

例：No.
降调：no and that's the end of it
升调：a question or go on
先降后升：no, but...
平调：一般是家长回答孩子

-Are you doing anything tonight?
-No. ( / )
Means: No, I'm not doing anything tongiht. Go on. Would you like to invite me to dinner?

-Can you lend me a pound?
-No. ( )
Means: No, definitely not. And it's the end of the conversation.

-Are you using the car?
-No. ( / )
Means: No, I'm not using the car, but neither will you. or You can't borrow it. or But I might need it later on.

-Can I borrow the car?
-No. ( — )
Means: 这个场景可能是十几岁的儿子问父亲，而父亲显然已经无数次听到这样的问题，都有点懒得回答no了。于是就用了一个平调的no告诉儿子：上次不行，这次不行，下次再问还是不行。

语调的重要性：

通过上面这3方面的讲解，大家应该已经了解到为什么语调那么重要：If you get the intonation wrong, you may find the people you're talking to don't understand your meaning. 如果对方没有理解你的意思，再向你进行确认，这算是运气好的了；可是如果他直接会错了意呢？那你只能后果自负了。