Sentence Types

There are five sentence types associated with the ten tone groups to produce different effects related to meaning.

The five sentence types are:

The Low Drop:

Statements: Statements associated with the ow drop contain falling nuclear tones. They sound definite and complete. If the low drop does not contain a head, it conveys detachment (or lack of involvment in the situation). This tone is used to give weight to expressions of approval and disapproval, enthusiasm, and impatience.
Wh-Questions: A low drop makes these questions sound searching, intense, and urgent.
Yes-No Questions: The most common way to ask a yes-no question is using the Low Bounce.
Commands: The low drop makes commands sound serious and strongs. Effect can be strengthened by combing the Low Drop with command words (e.g. do, please).
Interjections: The power is at its greatest in interjections when a head is present and it used with the Low Drop.

The High Drop:

Statements: Statements sound as if the speaker is more involved in the situation and less reserved/detached as they would be with the Low Drop.
Wh-Questions: The most common way to ask this question ebcause it avoids seriousness and urgency. It's a more "friendly" way of asking questions.
Yes-No Questions: With the High Drop, these questions sound like "suggestions" that are less urgent and lighter.
Commands: Commands suggest a course of action. The speaker does not seem to be worried about whether or not the command is actually obeyed.
Interjections: Interjections spoken with the High Drop convey mild surprise with less power and impact than the Low Drop.

The Take-Off:

Statements: Used to further contribute to the conversation. Often used to appear to the listener to change their attitude which the speaker may consider wrong.
Wh-Questions: The questioner's tone is wondering.
Yes-No Questions: The questions express disapproval or skepticism. Direct question tags always have the take-off and these utterances are used to acknowledge something previously stated/accepted by both parties in the conversation.
Commands: Not widely used with commands except those beginning with "Don't".
Interjections: Rarely said with take-offs. May imply eserved judgment that prod the other speaker to provide more explanation. It can also be used to imply calm, casual acknowledgment.

The Low Bounce:

Statements: Statements with the low bounce sound soothing and reassuing. They offer information as means to set the listener's mind at rest. No critcism is implied as it would be in the take-off and the effect is to create expectancy with regads to what will follow.
Wh-Questions: Speaker establishes a bond with the listener to show interest in receiving the information. It is a common tone used to ask questions of young chidlren.
Yes-No Questions: Most common way to ask a yes-no question with the low bounce because expresses genuine interest in getting the information requested.
Commands: Have a soothing effect. The speaker can soudn encouraging and sometimes calmly patronizing.
Interjections: Commonly used with a few interjections but quite airy and casual, while still enncuraging. Very common in greetings because they sound bright and friendly.

The Switchback:

Statements: The simplest case is that of nonfinal word groups because it shows fall-rise draws attention to one element for the purpose of contrast. For example, "on weekdays I work but on Saturdays I don't" is a statement that would be said using the switchback.
Questions: This creates the effect that the speaker is shocked.

The Long Jump:

Statements: Have definiteness and completeness and laso share a sense of participation/involvment. The long jump has a rising head which makes the speaker sound like they have an attitude of protest. E.g. Speaker 1 says, "I thought you disliked the play", and Speaker 2 says, "I liked it immensely".
Wh-Questions: The same effect as statements. The speaker is asking about something unexpected or unpleasant. There is still a sense of protest. E.g. Speaker 1 says, "I told David about it", and Speaker 2 replies, "Why did you do that?" to imply it wasn't necessary to tell David.
Yes-No Questions: Offered as subjects for discussion and decision.
Commands: Acts as a way of expressing recommendations for a course of action.
Interjections: The protest is still there. The speaker feels that they're taken by surprise and are owed some form of explanation.

The High Bounce:

Statements: Have the efefct of questions in most cases. Used in echoed statements to elicit a repetition by the listener.
Wh-Questions: Calls ofr a repetition of information already given when the nuclear tone is on the interrogative wod.
Yes-No Questions: May be echoed questions or not. Common with shor comments with the intention of keeping the conversation going.
Commands and Interjections: Used to question a part (or all of) an utterance of the listener to try to figure out the exact meaning. There is no critical intention. E.g. Speaker 1 says, "Take it home", and Speaker 2 replies, "Take it home?". Speaker 2 is seeking clarification from Speaker 1.

The Jackknife:

Statements: Implies all the definiteness and completeness associated with the other tone groups. Differing quality is that the speaker is geatly impressed. It is used to echo an immediately prior remark to show how impressed the speaker is, whether favorable or not.
Wh-Questions: Gives a note of challenge and antagonism.
Yes-No Questions: Commonly found with comments that the speaker accepts what has been said and is impressed by it (either favourably or unfavourably).
Commands: The tone is shrugging off responsbilitiy or refusing to be embroiled. Note: It's not necessarily hostile but it is a deliberate rejection of accountability for their actions.
Interjections: Used to sound impressed by something that wasn't expected. Can also include a hint of accusation. For example, if you were to say, "good morning" to someone with this tone the assumption is the listener has some explaining to do.

The High Dive:

Statements: Same as the Fall-Rise but the difference is there isn't the if/but associated with it. As previously discussed, if you use the Fall-Rise to say, "I like chocolate" the assumption is there's an impeding but that implies you shoulnd't be eating too much of it. This isn't the case with the High Dive.
Questions: The emotion may take the form of despair or plaintiveness. Can also be used to convey warmth.
Commands: The effect is of pleading and persuading versus ordering, unlike the High Fall.
Interjections: The effect is similar to the low bounce but more intense. Can be used to express extra encouragement or be used as a form of protest.

Last updated 4 years ago