Pitch features of classroom French intonation

Using fundamental frequency measurements taken from mingograph traces, the direction and range of pitch movements were studied in a series of utterances produced by native speakers of French and by a group of (near-) beginner students of that language. Results were also compared to the Delattre models for major and minor continuation and finality.

Analysis of the native speakers allows us to determine the extent to which the pattern of pitch movement is a function of the speaking context. It is then possible to see additional differences occurring when the task is performed by foreign language learners.

Our most significant findings relate to differences between the utterances of free conversation and those occurring in controlled contexts (oral reading, repetition, drill responses), and to a certain blurring of the distinction between major and minor continuation in student speech.