DEFAULT TONE

ATTITUDE OF THE
DEFAULT TONE

OTHER TONES AND THEIR
ATTITUDE(S)

ADDITIONAL NOTES






STATEMENTS





Fall (unless theres a
particular reason to
use some other tone)





Finality, completion,
confidence on the part of the
speaker; this is what we call
a DEFINITIVE FALL.



Implicational fall-rise; it might
indicate that:
a) somethings left unsaid;
b) the speaker is tentative about
what theyre saying;
c) the speaker wants to be polite
if theyre correcting someone.

It is often used in negative
statements.




Yes, no, and elliptical answers typically have a definitive fall.

Contradictions can be said with:

a) Rise: defensiveness.
b) Fall: warmth.

WH-QUESTIONS

Fall

Businesslike

Rise: more gentle, sympathetic, and
encouraging.


YES-NO
QUESTIONS

Rise


TAG QUESTIONS

Fall/ Rise
Fall: appealing for
agreement; Rise: genuinely
asking for information.
In echo questions:
Rise: to ask for repetition.
Fall: to ask for clarification.

EXCLAMATIONS

Fall (exclamatory
fall)




COMMANDS


Definitive fall


Authoritative
a) Rise (in short commands): to
encourage the other speaker to
continue.
b) Implicational fall-rise: to warn.
c) Fall-rise (in negative
commands): without necessarily
implying a warning.





INTERJECTIONS




Exclamatory fall



Encouraging rise: inviting the other
person to speak or continue speaking.
Calling someone by name:
a) Rise/fall-rise: to try to get their attention.
b) Fall: straightforward greeting.
Greetings:
a) Fall: formal.
b) Rise: personal.

Farewells: Definitive fall, though they usually have a rise (that
indicates good will).