LECTURE 7

PHONOSTYLISTICS
1. Phonostylistics as a branch of phonetics
2. Phonetic styles and their classification
3. Main prosodic features of:
a) informational style;
b) academic style.
4. Main prosodic features of:
a) publicistic style;
b) declamatory style;
c) conversational style.

1. Phonostylistics as a branch of phonetics

Pronunciation is by no means homogeneous. It varies under the influence of numerous
factors, that are usually referred to as extralinguistic. In this or that situation we can use
different intonation colouring for this or that utterance. Very often the choice of a certain
intonation pattern depends on the style of speech. The branch of phonetics which investigates
the prosodic peculiarities of different styles is phonostylistics. So, phonostylistics is the study
of the way how phonetic units are used in this or that particular situation. The aim of
phonostylistics is to analyse all possible kinds of spoken utterances with the main purpose of
identifying the phonetic features, which are restricted to certain kinds of contexts, to explain
why such features have been used and to classify them into categories based upon a view of
their function.
Phonostylistics is a rapidly developing and controversial field of study though a great
deal of research work has been done in it. It is not a new branch of phonetics it is rather a new
way of looking at phonetic phenomena. The point is that during the first half of the 20 th century
linguists have shown interest in written form of the language and so the emphasis in language
study was laid on analyzing written speech. It is only during the second half of the 20 th century
that the situation has changed. It may be said that it was the invention of the tape–recorder and
other technical aids that was the real turning point in phonetics and linguistics in general.
Linguists got a good opportunity of studying the other form of language realization – spoken
speech – the variety which had hitherto been largely or completely ignored. But there is one
more reason: until quite recently theory and research on language was based on the
assumption that it is only the written form of language realization that can serve a reliable

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object of investigation, while the spoken form is not worthy of scientific analysis because it
produces deviation from the literary norm.
Phonostylistic varieties are connected with the peculiarities of each particular speech
situation.
Speech situation can be defined as the co-occurrence of two or more interlocutors
related to each other in a particular way, having a certain aim of communicating about a
particular topic in a particular setting.
Each extralinguistic situation in life has three key components: purpose, participants,
setting. There are certain factors in a speech situation which result in phonostylistic varieties.
They are: 1) the purpose, or the aim of the utterance; 2) the speaker's attitude; 3) the form of
communication (a monologue or a dialogue); 4) the degree of formality (formal or informal); 5)
the degree of spontaneity (or the degree of preparedness or the reference of the oral text to a
written one). The purpose or the aim of the utterance may be called a phonetic style-forming
factor. All other factors cause modifications within this or that style and that is why may be
referred to as style-modifying factors. All these factors are interdependent and interconnected.
Among other extralinguistic factors can also be named such as the speaker’s individuality,
range of intelligibility, sex and age of the speaker, temporal and social provenance.
There exist certain phonetic style-differentiating characteristics/factors, such as voice
timbre, delimitation, accentuation of semantic centres, variations of pitch direction, pitch range,
pitch level, loudness, tempo (which includes both pauses and speech rate), rhythm and some
others.

2. Phonetic styles and their classification

There are different classifications of phonetic styles in linguistics. Among the well-
known classifications are the following.
1) One of them belongs to S.M.Gaiduchic. He distinguishes five phonetic styles: solemn
(урочистий), scientific business (науково-популярний), official business (офіційно-
діловий), everyday (побутовий), and familiar (невимушений). The styles are
differentiated on the basis of spheres of discourse. On the whole, these styles correlate with
functional styles of the language.

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 2) The other way of classifying phonetic styles is suggested by J.A.Dubovsky who
singles out the following five styles: informal ordinary, formal neutral, formal official,
informal familiar, and declamatory. The division is based on different degrees of formality or
familiarity between the speaker and the listener. Within each style subdivisions are observed.
3) According to the purpose of communication, Sokolova, Gintovt, Tikhonova and other
linguists single out five intonational/phonetic styles:
1) informational; 2) academic/scientific; 3) publicistic/oratorial; 4)
declamatory/artistic; 5) conversational/familiar. Any style with very little exception is sel-
dom realized in its pure form. Each generated text is likely to include phonetic characteristics
of different styles.
On the whole, the distinction of phonetic styles is a purely formal one.

3. Main prosodic features of: a) informational style; b) academic style

a) Informational style. It is often called ‘formal, neutral’. Two common types of this
style are educational information and press reporting/broadcasting. Main prosodic features are
the following:
- voice timbre: dispassionate, businesslike, reserved, occasionally interested;
- delimitation: phonopassages – phrases – intonation groups;
- kinetic tones: mainly categoric falling tones; high falling tones are used to emphasize
the situation;
- loudness: normal, increasing on the semantic centres, decreasing towards the end of the
passage;
- tempo: variable, mainly normal;
- pauses: variable, the length depends on the syntactical and semantic value;
- rhythm: non-systematic with centralized stress distribution.

b) Academic style. It is often called ‘intellectual, volitional’. The primary speaker’s aim
is to attract the listener’s attention, to establish close contacts with the audience.
To this style belong academic and educational lectures, scientific discussions, speech at
the conferences, seminars, etc. Main prosodic features are the following:
- voice timbre: imposing, instructive, self-assured;

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 - delimitation: phonopassages – phrases – intonation groups;
- kinetic tones: a great number of high falling tones, the frequent use of fall-rise and rise-
fall-rise;
- loudness: increased;
- tempo: normal, slow at the most important parts;
- pauses: long pauses are used especially between the phonopassages; occasional use of
breath-taking pauses;
- rhythm: properly organized.

4. Main prosodic features of: a) publicistic style; b) declamatory style; c)

conversational style
a) Publicistic style. Is often called ‘oratorical’. The important feature of this style is that
oratorical skills need, as a rule, special training, publicistic style speeches are mainly non-
spontaneous, etc. To this style belong public, political speeches, judicial, parliamentary debates,
etc. Main prosodic features are the following:
- timbre: self-assured, dignified, concerned;
- delimitation: phonopassages – phrases – intonation groups;
- kinetic tones: mostly emphatic, high falling and rising tones prevail;
- loudness: enormously increased;
- tempo: normal, often slowed down at communicatively important centres;
- pauses: deliberately long between phonopassages; a great number of breath-taking
pauses;
- rhythm: properly organized.

b) Declamatory style. Is often called ‘artistic’. It can be heard on the stage, on the
screen, in a TV studio, etc. The main purpose of this style is to appeal to the mind and feelings
of the listener. Main prosodic features are the following:
- timbre: concerned, emotionally rich;
- delimitation: phonopassages – phrases – intonation groups;
- kinetic tones: categoric low and high falling tones;
- loudness: varied depending on the size of the audience, on the emotional setting;

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 - tempo: usually deliberately slow or fast;
- pauses: variable, long pauses are characteristic between the phonopassages;
- rhythm: properly organized, stable, with regular recurrence of stressed and unstressed
syllables.

c) Conversational style. Is often called ‘informal’. It occurs in informal relationships, in

the speech of relatives, friends, etc. Main prosodic features are the following:
- timbre: mainly concerned, emotionally rich;
- delimitation: phonopassages – phrases – intonation groups;
- kinetic tones: simple falling and rising tones are common;
- loudness: varied depending on the size of the audience, on the emotional setting;
- tempo: very flexible and varied (from very fast to very slow);
- pauses: occur randomly;
- rhythm: non-systematic.

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 5. Intonation and Language Teaching
1. All intonation choices depend mainly on the extralinguistic situations the speakers find
themselves in.
2. There are three very important stages especially in classroom interaction — opening,
answering and follow-up. An opening phrase sets up certain constraints and expectations which
the answering phrase(s) fulfils. Answering is said to fulfill expectations and it can be followed
either by a new opening, which may be produced by the same speaker or the other one, or by a
follow-up, which reacts to or comments on the answering phrase.
3. To convey the idea adequately the speaker must be always aware of the relative
information load carried by particular elements in his discourse. The distribution of prominence
in each particular phrase depends upon the speakers apprehension of the state of convergence
he shares with the hearer.
4. Attempts have been made to identify the major varieties of speaker and listener
behaviours. Among speaker's non-verbal behaviours the following are sub- stantively
distinct.
1. "Active ending" characterized by the shifting of posture to wards the listener,
turning and pointing the head towards the listener, small head nods, the holding of
gesticulations and a clear pause.
2. "Floor maintenance" consists of turning the head and eyes away from the listener
both prior to and during the verbal listener response.
3. "Persistent display" is comprised, of eyebrow flashes and raised brows during the
end of the speaker's utterance and the lowering of brows and termination of smiles during the
subsequent verbal listener response phase.
4. "Deactivation ending" consists of the termination of smiles, or frowns, and of
eyebrow raises prior to the listener response.
Among listener's behaviours the following could be mentioned.
1. "Normal acknowledgement" is based upon a number of normal head nods during
the verbal listener response. It appears to be a classic indicator of attention to, and acceptance
of, the flow of the speaker's utterances.
2. "Preprocessing" is head nodding prior to the end of the speaker's utterance
indicating that the listener is signalling understanding before the speaker has finished talking.

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 3. "Minimal recognition" is composed of brief smiles and small head nods during the
listener's verbalization.
4. "Interest" is based on forward posture and visual attention prior to the verbal
listener response and the initiation of eyebrow raises or flashes or blinks during the verbal
listener response.
5. “Disengagement” includes both gaze aversion and return of gaze during the
listener response period.