标准美语发音的13个秘诀 CD 1 Track 24

 

How You Talk Indicates to People How You  Are                             CD 1 Track 24 

Beware of "Revealin g " a Personalit y that You Don't Have! 

There is no absolute right or wrong in regard to  intonation¹ because a case can be made for stressing just about any word or syllable², but you actually reveal a lot ab out yourself by the elements you choose to emphasize. For example, if you say,  Hello,  this intonation would indicate doubt. This is why you say,  Hello ? when answering the telephone because you don't know who is on the other end. Or when you go into a house and you don't know who's there  because you don't see anyone. But if you're giving a speech  or making a presentation and you stand up in fr ont of a crowd and say, Hello, the people would probably laugh because it  sounds so uncertain. This is where you' d confidently want to say  Hello,  my name is So-and-so.  

A second example is,  my name is—as opposed to my name is. If you stress name,  it sounds as if you are going to continue with more personal information: My name  is So-and-so, my address is such-and-such, my  blood type  is  O. Since it may not be your intention to give all that information, stay with the standard— Hello,  my name is  So-and-so. 

If you stress / every time , it will seem that you have a very  high opinion of yourself. Try it:  I'm taking American Accent Training.  I've  been paying attention to pitch, too.  I  think I'm quite wonderful. 

An earnest, hard-working person  might emphasize words this way: I'm  taking  American Accent Training  (Can I learn this stuff?).  I hope to make it as enjoyable as possible  (I'll force myself to enjoy it if I have to).  Although the only way to get it is to practice all the time  (24 hours a day).  

A  Doubting Thomas would show up with: I  should pick up on  (but I might not)  the American intonation pattern  pretty easily, (but it looks pr etty hard, too). I've been talking to a lot of Americans lately, and they  tell  me that I'm easier to understand (but I think they're just being polite).  

1 intonation   

n.语调，声调；发声

参考例句：

• The teacher checks for pronunciation and intonation.老师在检查发音和语调。
• Questions are spoken with a rising intonation.疑问句是以升调说出来的。

2 syllable   

n.音节；vt.分音节

参考例句：

• You put too much emphasis on the last syllable.你把最后一个音节读得太重。
• The stress on the last syllable is light.最后一个音节是轻音节。