Intonation: meaning, definitions and examples

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intonation

[ˌɪn.təˈneɪ.ʃən ]

Definitions

^{Context #1 | Noun}

in speech

The rise and fall of the voice in speaking.

Synonyms

accent, cadence, inflection, stress.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
intonation	Used when referring to the rise and fall of the voice in speaking, especially to convey emotion or distinguish between questions and statements. Her intonation made it clear she was asking a question. You can tell he's excited because of the intonation in his voice.
stress	Focuses on the emphasis placed on a particular syllable or word in speaking to convey meaning or importance. In the word 'record', the stress is on the first syllable as a noun but on the second syllable as a verb. She put stress on the word 'very' to highlight its importance.
accent	Refers to a distinctive way of pronouncing a language, often associated with a particular country, region, or social class. She has a strong British accent. His French accent made him easy to recognize.
inflection	Used to describe a change in the pitch or tone of the voice, especially to express different meanings or emotions. There was a sweet inflection in her voice. His inflection indicated sarcasm.
cadence	Describes the rhythmic flow of a sequence of sounds or words, often used in poetry and music. The cadence of his speech was soothing. The poem has a musical cadence.

Examples of usage

The teacher explained the importance of intonation in speech.
Proper intonation can greatly enhance communication.
She noticed his nervousness from his intonation.
His intonation suggested he was asking a question.
Her intonation indicated she was not pleased.

^{Context #2 | Noun}

music

The rise and fall of the pitch of the voice or of an instrument in music.

Synonyms

harmony, melody, pitch, tuning.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
intonation	Used primarily in speech and singing to describe the rise and fall of voice pitch or the accuracy of pitch in music. Important in linguistic studies and musical performances. She has excellent intonation when she speaks The singer's intonation was perfect during the concert
pitch	Describes the highness or lowness of a sound in music and spoken language. Important in tuning instruments and vocal performance. The violinist adjusted the pitch of her instrument His voice has a very high pitch
tuning	Specifically refers to the process of adjusting the pitch of musical instruments so they are in the correct key and sound good together. Commonly used by musicians before performances. He spent several minutes tuning his guitar before the concert The piano needs tuning to sound its best
melody	Refers to a sequence of musical notes that are perceived as a single entity. It's the part of the music that is most memorable and often the main theme of a song. The melody of that song is so catchy He whistled a cheerful melody as he walked
harmony	Relates to music and the combination of different musical notes played or sung simultaneously to produce a pleasing sound. Also used metaphorically to describe agreement or peace among people or ideas. The choir's harmony was beautiful The team worked in perfect harmony to complete the project

Examples of usage

The singer's intonation was perfect throughout the performance.
The violinist focused on achieving precise intonation.
Intonation is crucial for creating harmonious melodies.
Her intonation on the piano was exceptional.
Improving intonation can transform a musical piece.

^{Context #3 | Noun}

linguistics

The variation of pitch in the spoken language as a feature of the pronunciation of a particular dialect or language.

Synonyms

accent, intonation pattern, speech pattern.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
intonation	Used when referring to the rise and fall in pitch of the voice during speech to convey different meanings or emotions. Her intonation changed to show she was asking a question The speech's intonation made it sound very dramatic
intonation pattern	Used to refer to the repeated way in which pitch rises and falls during speech, often characteristic of particular types of sentences or languages. English questions often have a rising intonation pattern at the end The intonation pattern of his speeches is very engaging
speech pattern	Used to describe habitual features of a person's speech, including rhythm, intonation, and pronunciation. His speech pattern includes long pauses between sentences The teacher's speech pattern makes the material easy to understand
accent	Used to describe the particular way in which people from different regions or countries pronounce words. He has a British accent Her French accent is very strong

Examples of usage

Intonation patterns can vary significantly between languages.
Linguists study the intonation of different dialects.
Understanding intonation is key to mastering a foreign language.
The intonation of English differs from that of French.
He recognized the regional intonation in her speech.

Interesting Facts

Etymology

The term comes from the Latin word 'intonare', meaning 'to sound' or 'to thunder', reflecting the sound aspect of speech.
It first appeared in the English language in the late 14th century, primarily relating to music before being applied to speech.

Linguistics

Intonation is critical in distinguishing between statements and questions in English; for example, a rising pitch at the end of a sentence often indicates a question.
Different languages use intonation patterns uniquely, which can lead to misunderstandings in multilingual communication.

Psychology

Studies show that intonation can convey emotions effectively, affecting how listeners perceive a speaker's feelings and intentions.
Listeners often rely on intonation to gauge the sincerity and authenticity of a speaker, impacting interpersonal communication.

Pop Culture

Musicians use intonation to enhance their songs, where variations in pitch and rhythm can turn a simple tune into an emotional journey.
Stand-up comedians rely heavily on intonation to deliver punchlines and engage the audience, showcasing its power in performance art.

Education

Teaching intonation is vital in language education, helping learners improve their spoken fluency and sound more natural.
Phonetics courses often include intonation study, focusing on how variations can change meaning and improve communication skills.

Translations

Translations of the word "intonation" in other languages:

🇵🇹 entonação

🇮🇳 स्वर

🇩🇪 Intonation

🇮🇩 intonasi

🇺🇦 інтонація

🇵🇱 intonacja

🇯🇵 イントネーション

🇫🇷 intonation

🇪🇸 entonación

🇹🇷 entonasyon

🇰🇷 억양

🇸🇦 تنغيم

🇨🇿 intonace

🇸🇰 intonácia

🇨🇳 语调

🇸🇮 intonacija

🇮🇸 hljómfall

🇰🇿 интонация

🇬🇪 ინტონაცია

🇦🇿 intonasiya

🇲🇽 entonación

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #16,554, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.

...
16551 decorum
16552 antigenic
16553 fibrillation
16554 intonation
16555 overtly
16556 shewing
16557 puffed
...