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Intonation

Performance
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

The rise and fall of vocal pitch in speech. It helps a performer shape sense, emotion, and emphasis.

Detailed Definition
Intonation is a central element of poetry performance because pitch patterns influence how listeners understand a line. Rising intonation can suggest uncertainty, invitation, or continuation, while falling intonation can signal completion, authority, or grief. A performer may also flatten or sharply vary pitch for effect. Careful intonation can reveal irony, distinguish speakers, support syntax, and make a poem's emotional undercurrents audible without changing its words.
Example
Example in poetry:
A reader raises their intonation slightly on a question, helping listeners hear that the speaker is uncertain; In Emily Dickinson’s “Because I could not stop for Death,” a performer uses calm, even intonation to suggest the carriage ride’s eerie composure; A poet lowers their voice at the end of a declarative line to make a statement sound final; During a poem that shifts from hope to anger, the performer changes intonation from warm and rising to clipped and firm
Additional Notes
Changes in pitch can signal questions, irony, or emotion; practice avoiding a repetitive sing-song pattern.
Also Known As
Vocal Inflection Pitch Contour
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