Speaking: Pronunciation B1 - Lesson 2
Intonation Patterns for Expressing Emotions
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to recognize and produce different intonation patterns to express surprise and interest in a conversation.
Saying More Than Words
How you say something is often more important than the words you use. Your intonation1—the "music" of your voice—shows your true feelings. Using emotional intonation makes you an active, engaging communicator.
Let's see how the same word can have different meanings based on its intonation.
| Phrase | Flat Intonation (Sounds bored) | Emotional Intonation (Sounds engaged) |
|---|---|---|
| "Wow." | A flat, low-energy "wow" sounds sarcastic or like you don't care. | A "Wow!" that starts with a high pitch2 and falls quickly sounds genuinely impressed. |
| "Really?" | A simple falling tone can sound like you are just confirming a fact. | A sharp rising tone shows genuine interest3 or surprise4. |
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Intonation: The "music" of the voice as it rises and falls when speaking: សំនៀង ↩
- Pitch: How high or low the voice is: កម្រិតសំឡេង ↩
- Interest: The feeling of wanting to know more about something: ចំណាប់អារម្មណ៍ ↩
- Surprise: The feeling when something unexpected happens: ការភ្ញាក់ផ្អើល ↩
- Doubt: A feeling of not being sure if something is true: ការសង្ស័យ ↩
- Wow! / No way!: Exclamations to show strong surprise: អូហូ! / មិនអាចទៅរួច!
- Really? / You're kidding!: Phrases to show surprise or disbelief: ពិតឬ? / អ្នកនិយាយលេងទេដឹង!
Pronunciation Focus: Emotional Intonation Patterns
1. To Show Interest (Rising Tone ↗)
To encourage someone to keep talking, use a rising intonation. This shows you want to hear more.
- A: I bought a new moto. B: Oh, really? ↗
- A: My brother is visiting me this weekend. B: He is? ↗ That's nice!
2. To Show Surprise (High-Fall Tone ↘)
For big, unexpected news, start your voice high and let it fall quickly. This shows strong emotion.
- A: I won a free trip to Japan! B: Wow! ↘ That's amazing!
- A: They cancelled the concert. B: Oh, no! ↘ You're kidding!
3. To Show Doubt5 or Disbelief (Fall-Rise Tone ↘︎↗)
If you're not sure you believe someone, your voice can fall and then rise a little at the end. This asks "Are you sure that's true?"
- A: I can speak five languages. B: Really? ↘︎↗
Reacting in a Conversation
Using these emotional reactions is a key part of active listening. When your partner says something, especially if it's personal news or an opinion, they expect a reaction. A simple "Wow!" or "Really?" shows that you are listening and engaged. A silent response can feel cold or rude.
Practice Your Intonation
Activity 1: What's the Feeling?
Listen to the audio guide. I will say the word "Really?" with three different intonation patterns. Identify the emotion for each one (Interest, Surprise, or Doubt).
- "Really?" -> (Interest)
- "Really?" -> (Doubt)
- "Really?" -> (Surprise - said with a high fall)
Activity 2: Say it with Feeling!
Work with a partner. Read the mini-dialogues and say the response with the emotion written in parentheses.
- A: My sister is getting married next month!
B (Surprise): _________________ (e.g., Wow! / No way!) - A: I think I'm going to quit my job and become a singer.
B (Doubt): _________________ (e.g., Really?) - A: I'm thinking about studying architecture at the university in Battambang.
B (Interest): _________________ (e.g., Oh, really? That's interesting.)
Your Pronunciation Mission
This week in Battambang, your mission is to listen for and use emotional intonation.
First, watch a short scene from an English movie and listen carefully to how the actors' voices rise and fall when they are surprised or interested. Then, in your next English conversation, when a friend tells you something interesting, respond with an energetic "Really? ↗" or "Wow! ↘".