Adverbials

Limiting non-fall

Adverbs and adverbial phrases that qualify a whole clause or sentence (rather than qualify just one word) often have their own intonation phrase. If placed at the beginning, they usually have a leading non-final fall-rise (or rise). If placed at the end, they tend to have a trailing rise.

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Un⤵⤴fortunately | I've ^▸lost your ⤵letter

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Un⤴fortunately | I've \^▸lost your ⤵letter

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I've ^▸lost your ⤵letter, | un⤴fortunately.

Most adverbials, like unfortunately in this example, limit the sense of the main clause in some way. So we call this pattern with an adverbial a limiting non-fall. Here are some more examples:

Reinforcing fall

However some adverbials are said with a falling tone. Their meaning is not to limit the sense of the main clause, but rather to reinforce it. We call this tone meaning with an adverbial a reinforcing fall

〉 D'you ^▸think I ought to ⤴say something?
》 Of ⤵course, | you must pro⤵test
》 You must pro⤵test, | of ⤵course

I've ^▸never heard anything so ri⤵diculous | in ^▸all my born ⤵days.

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I ^▸promise to ⤵love you | for⤵ever.

It would be bizarre to say:

x I ^▸promise to ⤵love you | for⤴ever.

--because forever is not a limitation but its opposite, a reinforcement.

Limiting non-fall vs Reinforcing fall

Some adverbials can be used either way: with a reinforcing fall or with a limiting (dependent) non-fall:

(reinforcing) ⤵Clearly, | we're ^▸going to be disap⤵pointed.
(limiting) ⤵⤴Clearly, | we're ^▸going to be disap⤵pointed.

(reinforcing) On the ⤵contrary, | I'm de⤵lighted.
(limiting On the ⤵⤴contrary, I'm de⤵lighted.

The same distinction applies in various kinds of adverbial clause and the like:

(reinforcing) I'll ^▸ring you in an ⤵hour, | when I'm ⤵ready.
(limiting) I'll ^▸ring you in an ⤵hour, | if I'm ⤴ready.

(reinforcing) He'll be ^▸back to⤵morrow, | I'm ⤵sure.
(limiting) He'll be ^▸back to⤵morrow, | I ⤴think.

Tonality idiomatic

There are some adverbials that regularly take a falling tone when initial, even though they are not obviously reinforcing. They can be seen as tonality idiomatic. Examples include at least and at any rate also by the way and incidentally, used to introduce a side-issue.

We ^▸finish work to⤵morrow − || at ⤵least, | most of us do.
^▸Inci⤵dentally, | ^▸when are we going to get ⤵paid?

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By the ⤵way, I was de^▸lighted with the ⤵⤴dress.

If they follow the main clause, these adverbials usually form part of the tail, i.e. do not have their own IP:

^▸When are we going to get ⤵paid, incidentally?
I was de^▸lighted with the ⤵⤴dress, by the way.

Last update at: 2023/09/04 09:27:01

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Limiting non-fall Reinforcing fall Limiting non-fall vs Reinforcing fall Tonality idiomatic