An Analysis of The Problem-Causing Elements of Intonation for Turkish Teachers of English

Abstract

Intonation is the most difficult area of foreign language learning; therefore, the elements of intonation must be specified first and then properly taught. The term intonation is a very fishy concept because its definition differs from linguist to linguist and from foreign language educator to applied linguists. The definitions given up to the present (Richards et al, 1992: 190; Richards and Schmidt, 2002: 272; Johnson and Johnson (1999: 176); Crystal (1987: 169) are all defective because they show intonation just as a matter of pitch or voice changes in speech. It is, in fact, "the combination of pitch, stress and juncture with which an utterance is spoken (Frost, 1975: 238; Demirezen, 1986: 120). Apparently, it is this togetherness of the trio, namely, pitch, stress and juncture, which makes the learning of intonation the most difficult topic in foreign language education. According to the common belief, no amount of teaching or correction can properly teach the intonation (Fromkin et al, 2003). This presentation will claim that suprasegmental and segmental errors can be rehabilitated if the students and non-native teachers get a certain degree of awareness in intonation. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved