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How can intonation change “That’s a cat” from a statement into a question?
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phonetics
Diagram depicting the location of human vocal organs and possible places of articulation used for speech.
In linguistics, intonation refers to the melodic pattern of an utterance, primarily driven by variations in the pitch of the voice. This melodic variation serves a grammatical function by distinguishing between different types of sentences.12
To change the statement "That’s a cat" into a question, you adjust the end-of-sentence cadence:
- As a statement: You use a falling intonation, where the pitch begins at a medium level and ends with a lower pitch. This pattern is standard for simple assertions and completed statements.12
- As a question: You use a rising intonation, where the voice ends on a higher final pitch. This rising pattern is frequently used for questions that can be answered with "yes" or "no," effectively signaling to the listener that the utterance is an inquiry rather than a declaration.12