Characteristics of Tone
Angry (hot)
- Sharp ending consonants
- Downward intonation
- More emphasis on words
- Possibly faster speaking speed
Angry (cold)
- Flat intonation
- Normal or slower speaking speed
Happy
- Rising intonation
- Change to vowel sounds from wider smile
- Rising then falling intonation at the end of statements
Excited
- Same as happy but faster
- Maybe some words are skipped
Sad
- Slow speed, some pauses
- Slowing down at the end of sentences, sometimes becoming quieter
- Downwards intonation
Confused
- Many questions, often repeating the same idea
- Slower speech, often unfinished ideas
Surprised
- Sharp, rising intonation
- Many questions
Comparison - All Tones
You wrote my name!
I have the results
Comparison - Similar Tones
- What did you do?
- You wrote my name!
- I have the results.
- I’m leaving now.
Excited/Confused:
Sad/Angry:
Words that indicate tone:
|
Emotion |
Exclamations |
|
Anger |
This is unacceptable. I can’t believe this. I won’t tolerate this. |
|
Happiness |
This is amazing. This is fantastic! |
|
Excitement |
I can’t wait! I’m eager to start. This will be great! This is going to be amazing! |
|
Sadness |
I’m disappointed to hear this. That is very unfortunate. I’m sorry to hear this. This is hard to hear. |
|
Frustration |
This has been very challenging for me. I’ve been struggling with this. I’m not sure what I can do. |
|
Confusion |
Could you please clarify? I’m a bit unclear about this. I’m unsure about what to do. I’m unsure about the wording here. |
|
Surprise |
I’m very pleasantly surprised. I was not expecting this. |
|
Sarcasm |
(not really used formally) |