Stylistic Variation as Manifest in the Informational Style of Intonation (On the Basis of English and Latvian TV Broadcasts)

Abstract

Language variation can be observed on all linguistic levels. Stylistic variation affects not only the segmental but also the suprasegmental level of speech, including intonation, stress, rhythm, tempo and voice timbre. Different speech situations require appropriate intonation styles: systems of interconnected intonational means used in a definite social setting to achieve some particular aim of communication.
The article looks into some features of the informational style of intonation in English in contrast to Latvian. For the analysis excerpts of a news broadcast from the Sky News, BBC World and LNT were chosen as presented by professional announcers. Auditive analysis provides data on voice timbre, logical division of speech, style-marking prosodic features and the prominence of semantic centres.
The results of the present analysis of the style of intonation in English in comparison with the one undertaken in 1991 reveal that the basic features remain relatively stable. A slight difference in the voice timbre of contemporary announcers has been observed: occasionally it bears traits of emotional colouring. The division of the text basically corresponds to grammatical constructions; the pauses are of variable length. The loudness of speech is normal. The English announcers use a relatively wide voice range. The pace of speech is characterized as moderate with a slow-down on prominent parts of the text. Informational style characteristics of English include also a number of high falls and wide falls that create the impression of emphasis on semantic centres.
The basic distinctions of the style in Latvian, in contrast to English, include a generally lower pitch level, a narrower range of high falls, frequent use of mid rises and an occasional high rise that is a feature of colloquial speech. The falling tone in non-final tone units, although less common than in English, is an efficient means of creating emphasis.