Ka:rmik Phonology 6

INTONATION IN ENGLISH AND TELUGU PROVERBS:

EVIDENCE FOR KARMIK LINGUISTIC THEORY
Chilukuri Bhuvaneswar, CIEFL, Hyderabad

ABSTRACT
Intonation of proverbs is a virgin area and so far no attempt has been made to study the
intonation of Telugu proverbs in particular and probably English also. In this paper, an
attempt has been made to initiate research in this direction and provide a theoretical
framework for the analysis of intonation in English and Telugu proverbs.

It has been found out that intonation in proverbs varies in two distinct patterns. In the
unmarked pattern, the intonation pattern of the proverbs in its citation form is usually
carried into the contextual pronunciation since proverbs are formed context sensitively in
their canonical form. However, when the individual is in a mood other than that of the
mood in which the proverbs is formed, the intonation pattern varies. That means, there
is a dispositional superimposition of the pattern of intonation on to the structure of the
proverb. To put it differently, as the mood of the speaker is, so will be the pattern of
intonation: in the unmarked choice, the speaker instantiates that choice since he is in
that unmarked mood and in the marked choice, the speaker instantiates that marked
choice because he is in that marked mood. Therefore, intonation constructs the
dispositional reality of the speaker and provides evidence for Karmik Linguistic Theory.

The formal, functional, and cognitive linguistic analyses are inadequate to account for
and motivate the choice of a particular intonation pattern in a given context according to
the non-linear dynamics of disposition. According to language as a product of human
beings the same context may evoke different emotional reactions and so different
intonation patters. As a result, what we need is an integrated theory that unifies form,
function, cognition, and disposition into a single framework and comprehensively
accounts for the intonation of proverbs in conversation. Karmik Linguistic Theory offers
such a possibility and hence intonation can be seen as evidence for Karmik Linguistic
Theory from this theoretical perspective also.
I. INTRODUCTION
Intonation of proverbs is a virgin area and so far no attempt has been made to study the
intonation of Telugu proverbs in particular and English and many other Indian languages
in general.

A study of intonation offers us valuable information about how disposition plays a crucial
role in deciding what intonation pattern would be used in a context of its occurrence.
One of the reasons is that intonation is used to convey the mood of the speaker. On the
other hand, the mood of the speaker also anushangikally (inheriting the nature of the
cause into the effect) affects the intonation of the utterance. In other words, intonation
not only conveys the mood but is also a product of svabhavam (disposition).

In this paper, an attempt will be made to show with a few examples how the mood of the
speaker (and not the form of the utterance) is responsible for the choice of the intonation
pattern and further how an intonation pattern might have been formed from the
svabhavam of the speakers in the formative stages of the concerned language.

II. LITERATURE REVIEW

O’ Connor and Arnold (1985) provided an excellent and a comprehensive introduction to
the study of intonation of colloquial English. In it, there is an extensive treatment of the
anatomy of English intonation that consists of seven basic tunes and ten tone groups. In
addition, a detailed examination of how different moods are expressed by different tone
groups is also made in this important work on English intonation. However, proverbs are
not treated in this book.

In Telugu, Lisker (1963) is the only extensive work available on Telugu intonation even
though it is not mood-oriented in its treatment. A formal analysis of the Telugu
intonation patterns is offered in the section on intonation (ibid. XX – XXVI) which is
divided into five groups. Furthermore, many examples of spoken Telugu are offered in
30 lessons. However, proverbs are not treated in this book.
Sastry, Murthy, (1975) is another work on conversational Telugu dealing with
conversation in Telugu. Prabhakar Babu (1978) deals with Telugu intonation and divides
it into four types: Falling, Rising, Rise-Fall and Fall-Rise. Venkateswarlu (1982) is
another major work on Telugu grammar in which intonation is discussed in some length.
However, in all these works intonation in proverbs is not taken up for discussion.

In the next section, the analysis of O’Connor and Arnold (1985) and Lisker (1963) will
be taken as the basis for a study of intonation in Telugu and English proverbs.

III INTONATION IN ENGLISH AND TELUGU PROVERBS:

A FORMAL LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS
Any discussion of intonation involves three layers:
1. A formal Linguistic Analysis of Intonational Structure.
2. A dispositional Linguistic Analysis of Attitude in Intonation.
3. The Relationship between Structure-Attitude – Word-Group.
In the analysis of intonational structure, we will know how intonation is patterned in a
language. For example, in English, we can identity ten tone groups giving us: 1. The
Low Drop; 2. The High Drop; 3. The Take-off; 4. The Low Bounce; 5. The Switch
Back; 6. The Long Jump; 7. The High Bounce; 8. The Jack Knife; 9. The High Dive
and 10. The Terrace described in O’Connor and Arnold (1985).

In a similar way, in the case of Telugu, we can identify 5 tone groups giving us:
1. The Period Pattern;
2. The Mid-Level or Slightly Rising Pitch Pattern;
3. The Steeply Rising Pitch Pattern;
4. The Falling or Abruptly Terminated Pitch Pattern; and
5. The Comma Pattern as described by Lisker (1963: XX: XXVI)

In the analysis of attitude, we will know how each intonation pattern a language has in its
system will embody an attitude and convey the same in a context of its usage. For
example, the Low Drop Intonation Pattern with no head conveys different shades of
attitude. In statements, it conveys a detached, cool, dispassionate, reserved, dull,
possibly grim or surly attitude; in wh – question (who, what, why, where etc.), it conveys
a detached or flat or unsympathetic, or an even hostile attitude; in yes – no question (in
tags used as independent comments), it conveys an uninterested, or hostile attitude; in
commands, it conveys an unemotional or clam or controlled or cold attitude; and in
interjections a calm, unsurprised, reserved, and self-possessed attitude. Again, the same
low drop Intonation Pattern with a high head carries a different set of attitudes. For
example, in statements, it conveys a categoric, or weighty, or judicial, or considered
attitude; in wh – questions, a searching, or serious or intense or urgent attitude; in yes –
no questions, a serious; or urgent attitude; in commands, very serious or very strong
attitude; and in interjections a very strong attitude (See O’cornor and Arnold (1985:
106)). Let us now see how intonation–attitude pattern is related to the grammatical
structure of the utterance with next section.

a) INTONATION – ATTITUDE – WORD GROUP RELATION

Since a particular intonation pattern conveys a particular attitude in a context of its usage,
there should be a similar correspondence between the intonation – attitude pattern with
that of the syntactic or semantic (grammatical) structure of the sentence. But it is not so
in English. For example, the same syntactic unit can be said in any of the 10 tone groups
conveying different attitudes. There is a serious implication in this pattern of organization
of English intonation – it is an implication which points out to the supremacy of attitude
(disposition). It is ultimately “The speaker’s attitude, at the moment of speaking, to the
situation in which he is placed” [with apology to O’Connor and Arnold (1985: 4) for
borrowing it out of context] that determines the intonation pattern. For example, in our
ordinary language, when we use a falling tone in saying Thank you, “we express genuine
gratitude, but if it rises we sound rather casual” (ibid. 4-5). This supremacy of “attitude”
over “grammar” leads to another inference that “grammar” is probably used as a tool for
expressing our attitudes and feelings, (and our character also in an indexical fashion) in
addition to expressing the knowledge (meaning) of action. Extending the same line of
argument, we can show that even the actions we express through language through
grammar are also impelled by our disposition and it has been shown to be so in the case
of WTC Explosion in Bhuvaneswar (1988a). Therefore, there is already concrete
evidence in the manner in which attitude is conveyed – by a relationship of (intonation –
attitude) with the grammatical structure of the utterance – for a dispositional linguistic
view of intonation and so language. Therefore, a formal linguistic interpretation of
language without incorporating the component of disposition is incomplete.

In the case of proverbs and proverbial conversation, the same thing also applies. For
example, in the following real life conversation, a proverb is used in a Low Drop
Intonation Pattern:
A: It is good that we have come this way.
B: Every cloud has a silver living.
A: Oh, you used a proverb.
B: Because of you.
[A and B were going together in an auto rickshaw to see the Golconda Fort. A is an
Indian and B is a Britisher who speaks RP. The auto rickshaw driver missed the way for
the Golconda Fort and took another way which passes along the famous Kutub Shahi
tombs. B is a tourist and he did not visit the Kutub Shahi tombs and therefore A was
prompted to say that sentence even though he was a bit apologetic. B immediately used
the proverb in the High Head + Low Fall (+ Tail) as follows to express a categoric (or
judicial or considered) attitude:
‘Every’ cloud has a silver lining.
Had the speaker felt otherwise, he might have used another intonation pattern to express
another attitude. For example, The High Drop Intonation Pattern to convey a sense of
lightness, or airiness; or The Take-off Intonation Pattern to express resentfulness or
deprecation for not taking him properly and wasting his money (for the transport).
Similarly, the word groups can be one, two, or even three depending on the speaker’s
attitude, tempo, and emphasis:
Every cloud has a silver lining ||;
Every cloud/has a silver lining ||;
Every cloud has a silver lining ||.
Incidentally, this conversation offers another piece of concrete evidence in black and
white to show how the structure of conversation is also impacted by disposition. B does
not have the habit of using proverbs and he used this proverb because he is aware of A’s
interest in proverbs and he wanted to help him and please him by using a proverb.

In Telugu also, a similar process is observed. People use proverbs in conversation

according to their attitude, at the moment of speaking, to the situation in which he is
placed. The following example from real illustrates the same point of view in Telugu
also.

A: ra:aa pu:rimeppudu?
Sra:vana Pu:rnima when
‘When is Sravana Purnima?’
B: ippue: pra:rambamajindi.
just now started
‘Just now started’
a:kilda:i a:ra:si enta du:ramanna:a
threshold having crossed Va:rana:si how distant one said that
‘(I understand), that having crossed the threshold, one said, how far is Varanasi?’

[Sravana Purnima is a festival day in the Hindu tradition, on which people change their
jgo:pa vi:tm (sacred thread worn around the left shoulder and the right side of
the belly by slipping it through the hands. Varanasi is Banaras, a holy city in India which
is far from Andhra Pradesh, more than 1500 kilometers. The proverb means that: “You
have just started the work and you are asking when it will be over”.

In the olden days, people used to go on a pilgrimage to Banaras. It used to be a very long
and tedious journey. So, when someone, who has just started the journey, asked this
question, he was ridiculed. Such instances were observed and that social praxis
eventually became encapsulated into a proverb.]
The Sravana month started only three or four days ago when A asked this question. B
could have co-operated and given the date of the festival since she has an idea about it.
But she is in a mood to censure such a question and so she retorted by saying this proverb
in a mixed pattern of comma pattern + Falling or Abruptly Terminated Pitch as follows:

[:kilda:i] [va:rana:] [sen(t) du:ram]

[nn:a]
[/va:kil/dai va:rana: sen(tha) du:ra vnn:tta]
va:kil da:I :r:se entdu:rnn:, is pronounced
with a different intonation pattern in its citations form. I pronounce it as follows:

v:kili da:i :r:si entu:rm

nn:a
In a similar way, Every cloud has a silver lining can be pronounced with a High Drop
Intonation Pattern in its citation, form as follows:
|Every |cloud has a |silver o lining
(Low pre – Head+) High Head + High Full(+Tail)

The stress on lining is optional. Sometimes, the High Full can be placed on lining instead
of silver and silver can be given a stress.

So far we have seen how disposition plays a crucial role in the choice of an intonation
pattern. But that is not enough to say that disposition is the cause of intonation. We must
also be in a position to motivate the structuration of an intonation system in a language
and its systematic contextualization or embodiment with a corresponding attitude or
emotion.

As far as structuration of an intonation system is concerned, we can apply the principles

of creativity, dispositionality, and productive principality to derive the intonation system
and further confirm it by the principles of individual collective standardization, socio–
cultural standardization and valorization.

Let us briefly discuss how disposition is reflected in these two processes also.

b) STRUCTURATION OF INTONATION
According to O’Connor and Arnold (1985: 8-9), the English language tunes can be
divided into seven types: Low Fall; High Fall; Rise-Fall; Low Rise; High Rise; Fall-Rise;
Mid-Level. If we carefully observe these seven tunes, we see that they are actually only
three with modifications. If we draw a horizontal line and consider it as the mid – level,
then the pitch above the line becomes high and the one below as follows:

______________________________ High – level

______________________________ Mid – Level

______________________________ Low – level

All the tunes fall in between high and low levels.

In our discussion of phonotactic changes in Bhuvaneswar (1988a) and phonological

figures of speech in Bhuvaneswar (1988b), we have considered all expansion as due to
rajasik disposition and contraction as due to tamasik disposition and the equilibrium
level as due to sattvik disposition. Applying the same criteria, we get the Mid–Level Tune
as due to sattvik disposition; all tunes accompanied by a rising voice as due to rajasik
disposition; and all other tunes accompanied by a falling voice as due to tamasik
disposition. Furthermore, a Rise – Fall will be a rajasik – tamasik tune and a Fall – Rise
will be a tamasik – rajasik tune. Surprisingly English intonation fits in very neatly into
the dispositional spectrum (or framework). Further more simple tunes can be considered
sattvik and compound ones rajasik and they can be further divided according to the
dominant dispositional quality.
Applying this framework, the ten tone groups can be divided as follows;

a) Sattvik Tone Groups: The Terrace

It consists of a (Low Pre-head +) (High Head+) Mid-Level

b) Rajasik Tone Groups:

1. The Take-off (Low Pre-head+) (Low head+) Low Rise
2. The Low-Bounce (Low Pre-head+) High Head + Low Rise
Or
High Pre-head + Low Rise
3. The High-Bounce (Low Pre-head+) (High Head+) High Rise
4. The High Dive (Low Pre-Head+) (High Head+) High Fall+ (Low
Accents)+ Low Rise

c) Tamasik Tone Group:

1. The Low Drop (Low Pre- head+) (High Head+) Low fall
2. The High Drop (Low Pre-head+) (High Head +) High Fall
3. The Long Jump (Low Pre- head+) Rising Head + High Fall

d) Rajasik – Tamasik Tone Group:

1. The Jackknife (Low Pre-head+) (High Head+) Rise-Fall

e) Tamasik – Rajasik Tone Group:

1. The Switch back (Low Pre-head+) (Falling Head +) Fall-Rise

We can also extend the delicacy by considering + High as rajasik and + Low as tamasik.
Then The High Drop and The Long Jump tone groups will be tamasik – rajasik; and the
Take – Off and The Low Bounce tone groups will be rajasik – tamasik.

This is how we can account for the formation of English tone groups as they are formed
according to the principles of creativity, dispositionality and productive principality.
Let us now see how these tone groups embody the attitudes that the speakers express.

c) CONTENTUALIZATION OF INTONATION
O’Connor and Arnold (1985) have made a detailed survey of various attitudes reflected
in the intonation system of English. Taking all the ten tone groups into consideration; we
can make a general review of the attitudes embodied in them and see how svabhavam is
embodied in the tone groups.

While considering each tone group, O’Connor and Arnold (ibid), have taken the four
major types of sentences which are statements, questions commands and interjections
into the framework and illustrated how each tone group conveys an attitude in each type
of a sentence. A summery of the attitudes and emotions conveyed by each tone group
leads to interesting observations about the tone groups embodied the attitudes.

Let us discuss the analysis of O’Connor and Arnold in the following paragraphs.

1. ATTITUDES CONVEYED IN THE LOW DROP TONE GROUP

In a low Drop pattern without a head, various shades of detachment & lack of
involvement are expressed. O’Connor and Arnold (1985) have identified 17 types of
attitudes which can be grouped into five categories as follows:

Group 1: detached, dispassionate, uninterested, unemotional, unsurprised (5)

Group 2: unsympathetic (1)
Group 3: calm, cool, cold, controlled, reserved (5)
Group 4: flat, dull (2)
Group 5: grim, surly, even hostile, self- possessed (4)
All these types of attitudes more or less correspond with the dispositional factor of
tamas. As we have already noted tamas is contraction and all of them can be neatly fitted
into this aspect of disposition.

With a High Head, the low drop acquires more intensity and both approval and
disapproval and enthusiasm and impatience as shown in the following attitudes:

Group 1: Categoric, considered, judicial, searching

2: Weighty, intense, serious
3: urgent
4: very serious, very strong
5: ponderous

We have considered +High as rajasik and therefore these attitudes appear to be tamasik –
rajasik. However, urgency and pondering are more of rajasik nature than tamasik nature.
Therefore, in these two cases there is a slight variation. Probably, the urgency meant here
is not related to speed but to hastiness or quickly doing things without proper
consideration. In a similar way also about pondering with a tendency towards dullness.
For example, in “Now, where did Io put my pipe?” there is urgency but caused because of
lack of alertness. So also in the case of “Good morning” where good is accented, there is
a ponderous altitude which is not active. So these attitudes can be grouped into tamasik –
rajasik disposition.

In a similar way, interjections with a head can be tamasik – rajasik since the power of
interjection is at its highest. On the other hand, interjections without head express
genuine, though unexcited gratitude and can be tamasik – sattvik.

The evaluation made above is only a first approximation and a detailed classification can
be made considering all the tone groups together and arriving at generalizations.
The interesting thing about such an analysis is that we can motivate the choices
qualitatively, if not quantitatively as discussed in Bhuvaneswar (1988a) – owing to the
non-linear dynamics of human behaviour.

It is not surprising to see a systematic correspondence between the tamasik quality of the
tone group and the attitude. It need not be so systematic as obtained in the case of the
Low Drop. Such variations when they come about are not a problem to Karmik
Linguistic Theory because language is a product of human beings and human beings
according to their own dispositional quality perform action. As the workman, so is the
work! A muddled man can only produce muddled actions as long as he is in that muddled
state!

A similar type of classification can be extended to all other tone groups and a list of
emotions/attitudes that are conveyed by English intonation patterns can be worked out.

In the case of Telugu intonation patterns, no such detailed studies of the correspondence
between intonation and attitude and intonation–syntactic structure–attitude are available
so far, to my knowledge. Unless such detailed studies are available, it is premature to
make generalizations.

A few examples for unmarked intonation patterns in English and Telugu are given below.
For a detailed mapping of intonation patterns on to British English proverbs, the
guidelines given by O’Connors and Arnold in their book Intonation of Colloquial English
(P.107 – 274) can be followed. In Bhuvaneswar (1998 c, d, e, f, g, h, i) the syntax of
English and Telugu proverbs has been extensively studied. Representative samples
which are formed in British and American English can be taken from them for mapping
intonation-attitude patterns on to them. Such an analysis is beyond the scope of the
present work in view of the constraints of space and time.

a) TEN EXAMPLES FOR INTONATION IN ENGLISH PROVERBS

1. The Low Drop
 a. What the |heart thinks, the| tongue \ speaks.
2. The High Drop
a. |Honesty is the \ best opolicy.
3. The Take-Off
a. A horse, a wife, and a \sword | may be |shrewd, but not \lent.
4. The Low Bounce
a. Where |one |door /shuts, || another /opens.
5. The Switchback.
\/
Do or \die.
\
All are \/good \girls but where do the \/bad \wives come from?
6. The Long Jump
 Rome was not obuilt in a \day.
7. The High Bounce
Is a |woman ever /satisfied? \No, if she /were, she wouldn’t be a \woman.
8. The Jack knife
Why /\buy the 0cow when you get omilk ofree?
9. The High Dive
A \stitch in time saves /nine.
10. The Terrace
>
Love is blind.

b) SIX EXAMPLES FOR INTONATION IN TELUGU PROVERBS

1. Period Pattern ( . ) / Wave Pattern
This is a wave like pattern rising from the middle level and falling gradually after
reaching the normal height. Lisker (1963: XXI) calls it Period Pattern which he
indicates by a full stop. I call it ‘Wave Pattern’ so that it serves as a good mnemonic and
it is represented by a wave in the following figure.
High Level Boundary
 Low Level Boundary

In this pattern, the ending will be a little lower than the beginning of the pitch level.

2. Falling or Abruptly Terminated Pitch or Wall Sliding Pattern

In this pattern, the pitch starts from the high level and falls to the lowest level like a boy
sliding down the wall. I call it the Wall sliding Pattern for easy understanding. It is
represented by a straight line in the following figure:

Both the Wave Pattern and Wall sliding pattern are represented in the following proverbs:
naite: da:rilo: gai moladu.
walking path in grass grows not
‘In a walking path, grass will not grow’.
a.

naite:da:rilo: gi
moladu

b. nakkekka na:galo:kekka?
Fox where Nagalokam where
‘Where (is) Fox? Where is Nagalokam (the land of the celestial Nagas ) ?

nakkekka na:glo:kam () ekka

c. ki:lerigi v:ta pea:li.

Knowing mark put should
 ‘one should mark knowing the position’

ki:lerigi :ta pea:li

3. Mid-Level or Slightly Rising Pitch (Plateau Pattern)

In this intonation pattern, the pitch starts from below or at the middle level and gradually
rises as in plateau.
a. igne:ui mi:da bkt :?
Vighneswaradu on devotion?
unra: u mi:dd bkt:?
Undra:llu on devotion?
‘(Is it) devotion on (Lord) Vighneswara? (or) (is it) devotion on undra:llu (rice
cakes prepared for offering to the Lord)?’

vigne:ruI mi:da bt:

unra:llmi:dabkt:

4. STEEPLY-RISING PITCH (CLIMBING PATTERN)

In this pattern, the pitch rises steeply as an aeroplane climbing (taking off) into the sky.
It starts at the mid-level or slightly below that and reaches the high level.
a. ka:se: teuke: debbalu.
Fruiting tree to blows
‘To a fruiting tree, blows’
 Ka:se: teuke: dbbalu

b. hnumntuni mundu kuppigantula:?

Hanuman before hopping?
‘Before Hanuman, is it hopping?’

hnumntunimundu kuppigantula:?

5. COMMA PATTERN ( , )
In this pattern, a non-final pause, which will be marked by comma, is typically preceded
by a rise in voice pitch in varying degrees. The rise may be slight and accompanied by
prolongation of the syllable just before the pause; the rise may be sharp with no
observable pause following it; the rise may be sharp and followed by a fall in pitch and a
relatively long pause.
a. ndite: duttu le:kpote: ka:u
reaching hair if not legs.
‘If reachable, hair; if not, legs’

In this proverb, the steep fall is gradual because of the long vowel |:| in |ka:u| and
the long vowels |e:, o:, e:| in [le:kpo:te]
There is one more pattern I have noticed in proverbs. It is a level pattern in which there
is no rise or fall. I call it the plain pattern for mnemonicity. The pitch is slightly above
the mid level and is maintained till the end without any variation.

6. THE PLAIN PATTERN

a. ra:dul sommu ra:a pa:lu
king’s property stones spent on
 ‘King’s property (is) wasted on stones’.

ra:dula sommu ra:a pa:lu

IV. CONCLUSION
(1) In Bhuvaneswar(1988a), it has been shown that phonemes have been fashioned out
of svabhavam and have been further dispositional functionally used as building blocks to
create words and sentences.

(2) In Bhuvaneswar (1988b), it has been shown that figures of speech have been
fashioned out of svabhavam and have been further dispositional functionally used
ornaments to beautify utterances.

(3) In Bhuvaneswar (1988c), that is in this article, it has been shown that intonation has
been fashioned out of svabhavam and has been further dispositional functionally used as
colouring to the building blocks of phonemes as word group to embody attitude in them.
If these word groups as lexis and syntax and semantics are also fashioned out of
svabhavam and dispositional functionally embody svabhavam in their respective
domains, then we can say that the formal structuration of language is used as a resource
for the construction of dispositional reality. [Indeed, in Bhuvaneswar (1998d), it is shown
that lexis is fashioned out in a similar way as phonemes are fashioned from the principles
of creativity, dispositionality, productive principality, individual–collective
standardization, socio-cultural standardization, valorization, transmission, and retention.
So also in Bhuvaneswar (1999e), it is shown that syntax also is fashioned out and
dispositional functionally used to embody meaning as knowledge of action. Finally, the
same process is observed in Bhuvaneswar (1988f, g, h, i), in semantics also]. This
function of attitude-intonation complex is a cyclic process that continually makes
intonation couplings with attitude as disposition at the place, time, and context of
performing action via lingual action to construct the dispositional reality for the
experience (bhogam) of karma phalam. This can be captured in the following lingual
(feedback) loop.
 Intonation Speech (lingual action)

Attitude Experience

Disposition

Fig. 1: Attitude – Intonation Loop (AT-IN LOOP)

This will form a loop within other loops of disposition in the construction of dispositional
reality. Language operates, as has already been mentioned in Bhuvaneswar(1988a), as a
system of networks within networks which are inter-connected, interdependent, and inter-
related in the construction of karmic reality. For example, we know that action is
constructed in a loop of process – pattern – structure, similarly, we know that action itself
forms a node in the construction of experience of action as in the loop of disposition –
desire – function – action – experience; again; we know that a figure of speech/intonation
form two separate loops as disposition – aesthetic appeal – figure of speech – speech –
experience; and disposition – attitude – intonation – speech experience. All these loops
are inter-connected – inter-dependent – inter-related in the construction of action. They
can be captured in the following loops.

Pattern

Process Structure

Disposition Action
 Experience
Fig. 2 a. Process - Pattern - Structure Loop (PPS LOOP)

Intonation

Figure of
Speech

b. Figure of Speech – Intonation Loops (FS-IN LOOP)

c. Phoneme – Word – Sentence loops (PWS LOOP)

AT-IN PPS

PWS FS-IN

d. Inter-connected loop of phonology.

In order to understand that language is used as a resource for the construction of

dispositional reality, we must understand all the inter-connected loops of action which
feedback one another in their individual function to realize the holistic function of
constructing dispositional reality. If we miss one loop, we miss the link and get into the
trap of atomicity. The secret of life lies in the whole, not in the parts!!!

Once we know how all the nodes function in an inter-connected way, the picture becomes
clear. The formation of phonemes, phonotactic changes, phonetic realization, figures of
speech, and intonation clearly indicate that phonology is one inter-connected loop in the
construction of dispositional reality which is itself a node in the ultimate construction of
karmic reality for the jivas.

REFERENCES

Bhuvaneswar, Chilukuri [1988 a]. “The Phonology of English and Telugu proverbs
Phonemic Systems, Phonotactics, and Phonetic Realization: Evidence for Karmik
Linguistic Theory”. A Part of PhD Thesis. CIEFL: Hyderabad

Bhuvaneswar, Chilukuri [1988 b]. “The Phonology of English and Telugu Proverbs 2
Phonological Figures of Speech: Evidence for Karmik Linguistic Theory”. A Part of Ph
D Thesis. CIEFL: Hyderabad

Lisker, Leigh [1963]. Introduction to Spoken Telugu. New York: American council of
Learned Societies

O’Connor, J.D.. and Arnold, G.F. [1985]. Introduction of Colloquial English A Practical
Handbook. Second Edition 1973 – Ninth Impression 1985. Harlow: Longman Group
Limited

Prabhakar Babu, B. [1978]. “Intonation of Telugu and English”. Thiruvananthapuram:

International Journal of Dravidian Linguistics

Sastry, J.V. and Krishnamurthy, N.D. [1975]. Conversational Telugu: A Microwave

Approach. Madras: M. Seshachalam
 Venkateswarlu, Vajjhala [1982]. Aadhunika Praamaanikaandhra Vyaakaranamu.
Visakhapatnam: Published by the Author.