Contour 4. Low Head + Low Narrow Rise

9 
3. The Falling Tone-Pattern 
Falling contours all sound definite and complete, presenting information as ‘news’ which a 
listener is not expected to know about in advanced. Yet, each separate type of a Falling contour has 
a more or less clearly distinct range of meanings conveying the speaker’s attitude to the situation, to 
the subject-matter and to the listener. Since modifications in meaning depending on the type of head 
are practically eliminated from the ‘neutral’ patterns (by preserving in most cases the same or a 
similar type of head), the difference in attitudes conveyed by different falling contours actually 
results from variation in the nuclear tone, while attitudinal differences within the same contour 
reflect the interaction of syntactic and intonation patterns in the formation of utterances of different 
communicative types. 
Contour 1. High/Stepping Head + Wide/Narrow Low Fall 
Modal Meaning and Usage 
with no head (or with the Low Head) – calm, reserved, 
dispassionate; with a Low Narrow Fall – often cool, grim, 
surly, possibly resentful; 
In statements: 
with the High/Stepping Head – categoric, weighty, 
considered, serious, assertive. 
with no head (or with the Low Head) – calm, detached; 
with a Low Narrow Fall sometimes unsympathetic, even 
hostile; 
with the nucleus on the interrogative word – insistent 
without interest; 
In special questions: 
with the High/Stepping Head – serious, searching, intense. 
 
with no head (or Low Head) – sceptical, uninterested, 
sometimes hostile (with a Low Narrow Fall); 
In general questions: 
with the High/Stepping Head – assertive, urgent, 
sometimes sceptical. 
with no head – calm, controlled, rather cold; 
In imperatives: 
with the High/Stepping Head – very serious and strong. 
with no head – calm, reserved, self-possessed; 
In exclamations: 
with the High (or Stepping) Head – very strong and 
weighty. 

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