End-rising/falling tone

Question

1.A: I went to the USA during this summer vacation.B: Where did you go?A: The USA.'Go' in B can have a end-rising or falling tone.A's answer is the result of the end-rising tone.2.A: Did you get back this morning?B: No, last night, as I said.Morning in #2 has the end-rising tone, too because of B's answer. I understand #1 but not #2.I actually thought if 'morning' has a end-rising tone, it is a normal tone we use regardless B's answer.Q) You do not use an end-falling tone with a 'Do/did' question, do you?

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

1.

A: I went to the USA during this summer vacation.

B: Where did you go?

A: The USA.

'Go' in B can have a end-rising or falling tone. -- I don't see that. 'Go' must rise. It is 'where' that also rises for a confiming question.

A's answer is the result of the end-rising tone. -- What's your point?

2.

A: Did you get back this morning?

B: No, last night, as I said.

Morning in #2 has the end-rising tone, too because of B's answer. -- How can that be? B hasn't yet answered when A speaks.

I understand #1 but not #2.

I actually thought if 'morning' has a end-rising tone, it is a normal tone we use regardless B's answer.-- Of course: B hasn't answered yet.

Q) You do not use an end-falling tone with a 'Do/did' question, do you?-- Only if it's rhetorical.

Moon7296 · Answer

Ah.. I should have included something to make sure this question.

I made some mistakes in my post, sorry.

The first mistake:

'Go' in B can have a end-rising or falling tone => 'Where did you go?' can have a end-rising or falling tone depending on context. (In this context, only an end-rising tone, and generally an end-falling tone is applied when we ask to find out information that we don't know)

The second mistake:

Morning in #2 has the end-rising tone, too because of B's answer. => This is actually a multiple choice question; we don't know what they talked about but we can guess considering B's answer. (This is the point of this question: getting examinees to choose either a rising or falling tone considering B's answer)

Mister Micawber · Answer

moon7296only an end-rising tone, and generally an end-falling tone is applied

I don't know who is more confused, you or I.

CalifJim · Answer

moon72961.
A: I went to the USA during this summer vacation.
B: Where did you go?
A: The USA.
'Go' in B can have a end-rising or falling tone.
A's answer is the result of the end-rising tone.

Right. The last line indicates that B did not understand clearly the 'USA' part of the first statement.

A: I went to xynwysxf (muffled) during this summer vacation.

B: WHERE did you go? (emphasis on 'where'; 'go' high and rising)

A: To the USA.

A: I went to the USA during this summer vacation.

B: Where (in the USA) did you GO? (emphasis on 'go'; 'go' high and falling)

A: To New York, Boston, and Chicago.

moon72962.
A: Did you get back this morning?
B: No, last night, as I said.

The underline indicates emphasis on 'morning'. This emphasis and the last line indicate that the question was about the time of day. The word 'morning' is emphasized, fairly high, and rising.

The alternate is this:

A: Did you get BACK this morning?

(emphasis on 'back'; 'morning' medium and rising - normal yes/no intonation)

B: I did.

moon7296I actually thought if 'morning' has a end-rising tone, it is a normal tone we use regardless B's answer.

True, but the word that is emphasized is different. In the typical yes/no intonation pattern the verb gets the emphasis. A final modifying phrase would not get any emphasis.

moon7296You do not use an end-falling tone with a 'Do/did' question, do you?

No. See above concerning yes/no questions.

CJ

Mister Micawber · Answer

Whew! Thanks, CJ.

End-rising/falling tone

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions