The rise tone in short story narration: A case study of Malay ESL learners
Despite its importance in communication, ESL learners often face difficulties in using intonation appropriately due to cross-linguistic suprasegmental differences. Moreover, intonation is difficult for them to learn because its functions can change according to context (Mok, Yin, Setter & Mat...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Proceeding Paper |
| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
2020
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://irep.iium.edu.my/81159/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/81159/14/81159%20abstract.pdf http://irep.iium.edu.my/81159/13/81159%20slides.pdf |
| _version_ | 1848789084904882176 |
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| author | Ahmad Nadzri, Fazyudi Abdul Wahid, Mohd Ridwan Pilus, Zahariah |
| author_facet | Ahmad Nadzri, Fazyudi Abdul Wahid, Mohd Ridwan Pilus, Zahariah |
| author_sort | Ahmad Nadzri, Fazyudi |
| building | IIUM Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Despite its importance in communication, ESL learners often face difficulties in using intonation
appropriately due to cross-linguistic suprasegmental differences. Moreover, intonation is difficult for
them to learn because its functions can change according to context (Mok, Yin, Setter & Mat Nayan, 2016). Given these challenges, the objective of this study was to investigate the application of one type
of intonation – the rise tone – in the speech of such speakers. Sixty Malay ESL learners, comprising 30
males and 30 females, were asked to narrate a short story individually based on a series of pictures
presented to them. Their speech samples were analysed auditorily and acoustically using Praat and
their tone functions were identified using Brazil’s (1985, 1997) Discourse Intonation model. It was
found that the learners applied the tone when they attempted to: (i) convey new and shared
information, (ii) continue speaking, and (iii) present items in a list. In addition, there was a significant
gender-based difference in the speakers’ application of the tone to convey new and shared
information and to continue speaking. Findings may contribute details to Malaysian English
phonology and shed more light on tone usage among ESL speakers. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T17:51:06Z |
| format | Proceeding Paper |
| id | iium-81159 |
| institution | International Islamic University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T17:51:06Z |
| publishDate | 2020 |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | iium-811592020-07-17T06:37:04Z http://irep.iium.edu.my/81159/ The rise tone in short story narration: A case study of Malay ESL learners Ahmad Nadzri, Fazyudi Abdul Wahid, Mohd Ridwan Pilus, Zahariah PE English Despite its importance in communication, ESL learners often face difficulties in using intonation appropriately due to cross-linguistic suprasegmental differences. Moreover, intonation is difficult for them to learn because its functions can change according to context (Mok, Yin, Setter & Mat Nayan, 2016). Given these challenges, the objective of this study was to investigate the application of one type of intonation – the rise tone – in the speech of such speakers. Sixty Malay ESL learners, comprising 30 males and 30 females, were asked to narrate a short story individually based on a series of pictures presented to them. Their speech samples were analysed auditorily and acoustically using Praat and their tone functions were identified using Brazil’s (1985, 1997) Discourse Intonation model. It was found that the learners applied the tone when they attempted to: (i) convey new and shared information, (ii) continue speaking, and (iii) present items in a list. In addition, there was a significant gender-based difference in the speakers’ application of the tone to convey new and shared information and to continue speaking. Findings may contribute details to Malaysian English phonology and shed more light on tone usage among ESL speakers. 2020 Proceeding Paper PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/81159/14/81159%20abstract.pdf application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/81159/13/81159%20slides.pdf Ahmad Nadzri, Fazyudi and Abdul Wahid, Mohd Ridwan and Pilus, Zahariah (2020) The rise tone in short story narration: A case study of Malay ESL learners. In: International Conference on Language and Literature 2020, 15th-17th January 2020, Kuala Lumpur. (Unpublished) |
| spellingShingle | PE English Ahmad Nadzri, Fazyudi Abdul Wahid, Mohd Ridwan Pilus, Zahariah The rise tone in short story narration: A case study of Malay ESL learners |
| title | The rise tone in short story narration: A case study of Malay ESL learners |
| title_full | The rise tone in short story narration: A case study of Malay ESL learners |
| title_fullStr | The rise tone in short story narration: A case study of Malay ESL learners |
| title_full_unstemmed | The rise tone in short story narration: A case study of Malay ESL learners |
| title_short | The rise tone in short story narration: A case study of Malay ESL learners |
| title_sort | rise tone in short story narration: a case study of malay esl learners |
| topic | PE English |
| url | http://irep.iium.edu.my/81159/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/81159/14/81159%20abstract.pdf http://irep.iium.edu.my/81159/13/81159%20slides.pdf |