Thanks very much, José, for this very persuasive and optimistic set of
responses!
I certainly agree that adequate teacher training in this field is
absolutely crucial.

To anyone who's uncertain about whether to comment: Don't feel that you
need to respond to all seven points -
a few words about just one of them will be very welcome!

Jonathan

jmtiziani@... pisze:
>
>
> Hello, everybody. Just a few ideas on the issue:
>
> *Jonathan said:
> 1. There's no agreement about what the significant features of
> intonation are, or what purposes they serve.*
>
> I think there is a lot of agreement as to what the relevant features
> of English intonation are and what purposes they serve, as evidenced
> in Cruttenden's latest publications, as well as Tench's, Halliday's,
> and Well's. Pitch changes have long been attested a discourse
> structuring function through 'chunking' and through 'pitch peaks and
> depressions', to signal how speech is divided and delivered into more
> easily 'processable' units through the former and to indicate
> 'beginnings' and 'cohesion' through the latter. Also, pitch obtrusion
> indicates primary and secondary accents in intonation phrases, which
> are an essential cue to information structuring and meaning as
> discourse unfolds. Finally, changes in pitch direction and range will
> usually signal aspects such as speech act (in interplay with the Mood
> system), status of the information contained in each intonation
> phrase, as well as the speaker's attitude and intentions. So I would
> naturally disagree with the first statement, though when questions of
> 'teachability' are brought into the picture, my reply would no be so
> straightforward, i think.
>
> *2. Intonation is unpredictable.*
> Well, some of it may be unpredictable, since ultimately so much
> 'speaker' choice is involved. But there is a confident level of
> predictability, for example, through frequently found correlations
> between (a) intonational phrasing and grammatical structures, (b)
> status of information and pitch patterns used in English, (c) speech
> acts co-occurring with certain pitch configurations, (d) transitions
> between discourse chunck being typically signalled through pitch
> changes, etc., all of which adds up to the fact that a lot of it can
> be taught both for language comprehension and for language production.
>
> *3. Intonation is subject to massive variation in different varieties
> of English.*
> This is an area in which I feel at a disadvantage, being a non-native
> speaker of English. I can only refer to what some specialists have
> said. Cruttenden does not, in my view, recognise this as a
> problematic area where there actually is a lot of variation, though
> Jenkins does, also in my view, mention the fact the variation in the
> use of 'tones' in the world Englishes might make worthwile to only
> focus on 'chunking' and 'nucleus placement', both of which seem to be
> more straightforward and part of the outlined 'core'.
>
> *4. Learners will pick it up, eventually, if they have enough exposure
> to English.*
> Exposure is an essential component, but guided exposure which asks
> students to 'notice' pitch patterns can greatly enhance their chances
> for correct imitaion. I first introduce a few typically English pitch
> patterns, some abstract meanings together with some illustration for
> 'local meanings, drilling, dictation adn discrimination sessions,
> followed by corpus analysis and detection of patterns, only to move on
> then to guided, semi-controlled, and freer practice.
>
> *5. It doesn't really matter, and trying to teach it is a waste of time.*
> Intonation DOES matter, but I think it will only be a waste of time if
> done non-systematically, or isolated from listening and speaking. If
> learners are trained at perceiving intonation patterns, they may be
> better equipped to cope with listening and speaking tasks.
>
> *6. Most people, including most teachers, can't recognise intonation
> patterns - they can't even distinguish between a fall and a rise.*
> This applies to 'untrained' people, of course. if appropriate training
> is provided at recognising a few English intonation patterns, and
> sufficient opportunities for practice are catered for, I think
> enhanced intelligibility will follow.
>
> *7. Trying to teach intonation only confuses learners and does more
> harm than good.*
> it may, if the instructor is not well aware of students' goals and
> does not fully 'grasp' the forms and functions of English intonation
> from the tone group level to larger chunks of discourse. I believe
> intonation CAN and SHOULD be taught at all levels of proficiency, and
> it should be an obligatory component in any EFL teacher's
> pronunciation profile that he/she should master the basic intonation
> patterns and instructional methodology for the area. Intonation is far
> from being a 'straightforward' and clearly 'sketched-out' area in
> English, but agreement has been reached on many issues concerning its
> form and functions in spoken discourse, and also many correlations
> have been found between certain pitch patterns and their co-occurrence
> with grammar patterns, speech acts, text structure, and even spoken
> genres...reason enough, in my opinion, to give it more than just a try!
>
> My answers of course are given from the point of view of a teacher
> trainer who invests most of his time on the teaching of English
> intonational issues to native speakers of Spanish in Argentina, but I
> cannot shake the feeling that great things can be achieved with
> appropriate presentation, grading and practice opportunities in
> practically every context.
>
> José
>
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