Contour Systems of One Variety of Scottish English

Abstract

Six speakers of Edinburgh English were recorded reading a text. These readings were analysed instrumentally to obtain measurements of fundamental frequency, intensity, and pause duration. The measurements were then analysed in terms of "complete contours." The results suggest that there is a neutral intonation contour which acts as the neutral phonological carrier. This contour is defined in terms of a base-line and deviations from that base-line and it is demonstrated that this contour varies according to discourse function.