Activity Questions 1.4

Based on the information in the sources, the statement “Rhythm is formed by a set of syllables repeating at regular intervals of time” is True.

The sources describe rhythm as a feature of language that is noticed in the flow of speech. It is described as being “about the arrangement of sounds and syllables as a speech, as a unit of speech”. While syllable groups may not always have the exact same number of syllables, they “mostly take a similar length of time to speak”.

Crucially, when discussing English rhythm, the sources, citing David Crystal, state that English uses “stressed syllables, produced at roughly regular intervals of time” in fluent speech, separated by unstressed syllables. This is referred to as a “stress-timed rhythm”. The pattern of organising prominent (stressed) and non-prominent syllables creates rhythm.

Therefore, the concept that rhythm involves syllables (specifically stressed syllables in English) occurring or being arranged in a pattern that repeats at roughly regular intervals of time is directly supported by the sources.

Based on the information in the sources, the statement “In English speech, the rhythm can be noticed in the regular occurrence of stressed syllables” is True.

The sources explain that rhythm is a notable feature in the flow of speech, and it is “about the arrangement of sounds and syllables as a speech, as a unit of speech”. In the context of English, rhythm is specifically linked to stressed syllables.

One source, citing David Crystal, explicitly states that “English uses stressed syllables, produced at roughly regular intervals of time” in fluent speech. These stressed syllables are separated by unstressed syllables, creating what is termed a “stress-timed rhythm”. The “pattern of organising them [prominent or stressed syllables] creates a rhythm or is called rhythm”.

Therefore, the idea that the rhythm in English speech is associated with stressed syllables occurring at regular intervals is directly supported by the provided material.

Drawing on the information in the sources regarding how stress affects meaning in English speech-, we can analyse the implied meaning of the sentence “The children are playing football at the park” when the word “children” is stressed.

The sources explain that stressing a particular word in a sentence changes its meaning,. This is because stressing a word highlights it and often implies a contrast or distinction with other possibilities-.

Consider the example from the sources: “I thought your brother was a bus conductor”. When “I” is stressed, the meaning is “not someone else thought it, it was me who thought”. When “brother” is stressed, the meaning is “not someone else’s brother, I thought your brother”. When “bus” is stressed, the meaning implies “not for a bus”. When “conductor” is stressed, the meaning implies “not a bus driver or a manager or something else”.

Applying this principle to your sentence, “The children are playing football at the park,” with the stress on “children”:

Stressing “children” puts emphasis on the subject of the sentence, contrasting it with other potential subjects. This is similar to stressing “I” or “brother” in the source examples to distinguish the subject from others.

Let’s look at your options in light of this:

• It is the children and not someone else who is playing football at the park. This aligns with the effect of stressing the subject. It implies that among a group of potential players (e.g., children, adults, teenagers), it is specifically the children who are performing the action.
• The children are playing football at the park, not doing something else. This meaning would typically be conveyed by stressing the verb (“playing”) or the object (“football”), contrasting the action or the activity with other possibilities.
• The children are playing football at the park, not at the house or any other place. This meaning would typically be conveyed by stressing the location (“park”), contrasting it with other places.

Therefore, based on how stress on a word changes the meaning by highlighting that element and often implying a contrast, as illustrated in the sources-, stressing “children” in the sentence emphasizes the identity of the players.

The implied meaning of the sentence “The children are playing football at the park,” with the stress on “children”, is:

It is the children and not someone else who is playing football at the park.

Based on the information in the sources, pitch allows the ordering of sounds based on Frequency.

The sources explain that the pitch of the voice is determined by the frequency of vibration in the vocal cord. This frequency of vibration creates pitch.

Going back to pitch, the source explicitly states that “the pitch is property that allows the ordering of sounds on a frequency-related scale”, and pitches are compared as high and low,.

Based on the information provided in the sources, the feeling of ecstasy in your speech is marked by High pitch.

The sources explain that the pitch of the voice is determined by the frequency of vibration in the vocal cord. Pitch allows the ordering of sounds on a frequency-related scale, and pitches are compared as high and low. The rise in pitch is called high pitch, and the fall is called low pitch.

Regarding how pitch conveys emotions, the sources state that it can convey various emotions. For example, a low pitch can indicate feelings like shock, dullness, or guilt. Conversely, if “we are excited about something we are joyous, ecstatic, triumphant”, the sources note that “we automatically our pitch becomes higher”.