Speak Up

There seems to be pretty compelling evidence that most of what we say (and certainly all the interesting stuff) is couched in metaphorical terms. This is not because of some cloaking of any 'real' meaning, or of any moulding of the 'real' meaning by its being forced into words, but because meaning and thought is itself largely metaphorical (Lakoff & Johnson etc). Metaphor doesn't just lie at the level of individual words and phrases however but also is embodied in other features of utterances such as sentence length, the sounds of the words, and the 'intonation contour', the musical rise and fall of speaking that gives shape to speech. One (particularly irritating) contour that I've noticed recently is what seems to be an increasing use of a rising intonation at the end of sentences. Ending each sentence on a high note makes each utterance sound a bit like a question, even when there is no interrogative sense to the question at all. Maybe there is always an implied 'do you agree?' or 'are you listening?' , which kind of makes sense, although I'm also wondering why this ongoing query is implied through the particular use of this rising intonation speech pattern. Maybe there is a covert metaphor being mobilised here in which height (the upwardly metaphorical direction in which the end of the sentence is looking) is used to imply authority.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• speaking
• speech
• language
• linguistics
• George
• Lakoff
• Mark
• Johnson
• rising
• intonation
• cognition
• cognitive
• utterance
• metaphor
• contour

[Gulfporter]

Inappropriate rising intonation is evil. It is the practice of Valley Girls and elementary school teachers, and for the same reason.

[AnonymousFan100]

In my humble opinion, when one is discussing the coneptual framework of cognitive function, it would be very unwise to forget the metaphorical amalgamithms which ironically go hand in hand with our sub concious.

It is explained well in the writings of Richard S. Masterson. He delves into the willingness of our human psyche to grab onto the nearest pitch and intonation. A really rather humorous work.

In conclusion, one should always remember that ascension is always subject to fallacy.

[maclachj1]

Interesting....Maybe also conscious disassociation from public school English, by neutral accented young English speakers. An Americanised modern speech that is intended to irritate adults!

[heffeque]

The high rising terminal (HRT), also known as uptalk, upspeak or high rising intonation (HRI), is a feature of some accents of English where statements have a rising intonation pattern in the final syllable or syllables of the utterance. (Wikipedia)

[TWITfromURANUS]

Yes, I'm fairly sure that it usually has more to do with things like deference & submission rather than their opposites. It's like a kind of self-checking, anti-arrogance style of delivery ... or at least that's how it may have begun.

It's sometimes called AQI - Australian Question Intonation. Stephen Fry talks about it here: watch?v=-hnABeM2I7c&NR=1 (go to the 8 minute mark)

[BodyFitLife]

Ah yes, however the relevant 'ides' can make any apology redundant.

[davius4321]

There are not many people left who would stand behind their words, without implicitly apologizing. I noticed this pattern of intonations, too, as an immigrant to an English-speaking country. I find this implicit expression of uncertainty also in the use of air quotes. When an "idea" is stated with an "implicit" apology.

[BodyFitLife]

Yes from my analysis it would be an imbalance regarding authority in the ego dichotomy of inferiority/ superiority... the metaphor of height indicates a dynamic where the voice is raised in an attempt to balance the inferiority felt internally regarding perceived superiority. Kids today know they are facing a crisis and they don't have the tools to deal with it.

[almafarag]

as a matter of fact, there is a very similar tone the Hungarian language and it is predominantly but by no means exclusively characteristic of girls, and I remember how my mother as a teacher always had conflicts with her students when she told them not to miaow at the end their of sentences because it makes them seem conceited :)

[almafarag]

this is a fascinating idea, "rhythm schemas" definitely derive from embodiment and imply or elicit mental states, prompt the pace of interpersonal engagement

in effect, I as a non-native speaker distinctly remember when I first came across this rising contour at the end of statements (it was in some movie involving young people who tentatively tried to express their general sense of lack), and it took quite a while till I became accustomed to this tone and understood its implications of suspense