Irregular Preheads

The term Irregular Prehead is applied to any prehead which is displaced in pitch from the normal position in the lower half or near the middle of the voice range. The displacement can be made both upward and downward — High Irregular and Low Irregular Preheads, respectively. The former is much more typical in speech.

In the High Irregular Prehead (sometimes called High Prehead) all the syllables are said on a very high pitch, i.e. higher even than the onset syllable, which is normally the highest syllable in the group. The effect produced by the High Pre­head is proportional to its pitch; the higher the pitch the greater the emotional colouring. It is indicated by a high pitch mark (~m, ~m), e.g.:

It was amazing.

" There's no need to do it today.

The High Irregular Prehead is never very long, it rarely contains more than two or three syllables.

Besides unstressed syllables there may be a partially stressed syllable in the High Prehead. The fact that this syllable is not the first fully stressed syllable of the intonation-group can only be decided when the pitch pattern of the whole pre-nuclear part is considered: if the following prominent syllable starts a new pitch pattern (low level, rising or falling) the high-pitched first stress is part of the pre­head, e.g.:

'John was perfectly willing to compromise.

The train was absolutely packed.

The emphatic role of the High Irregular Prehead is increased when it is used before a low head or a low nuclear tone (Low Fall, Low Rise, Low Fall-Rise). The contrast with the initial pitch of the following stress intensifies the prominence of latter, e.g.:

a) - Well, the Rovers won, mum.

-The Rovers, Robert? Why, where have you been?

b) -Why on earth did you telephone?

-We did what you told us to.

The High Irregular Prehead is commonly used with emphatic kinetic tones, especially in tunes containing no head, e.g.:

- Hello, mum.

- But you can't do that.

- Did you do this?

In tunes with the nuclear emphatic Mid or Low Fall the High Irregular Prehead is used to express disapproval, indignation or insistence. Compare, for example, the following conversations:

a) — You don't find it exciting, do you?

emphatic: —" It will be awfully

b) — What do you think of it?

non-emphatic: — It will be awfully dull. (categoric, straightforward)

In tunes with the emphatic low rising nuclear tone the High Irregular Prehead often adds a feeling of disagreement and impatience, e.g.:

a )- Find his address and let him know.

emphatic: It's no good writing to him.

b)- Find his address and let him know.

non-emphatic: It's no good writing to him (casual, mildly protesting)

When followed by the high rising emphatic tone the High Irregular Prehead gives a feeling of extreme surprise, e.g.

- Nobody could manage it.

emphatic: -Did you do this?

-Nobody could manage it.

non-emphatic: -Did you do this? (brisk, light, airy)

In the Low Irregular Prehead all the syllables are said on a very low pitch, i.e. lower ever than the syllables at the end of a falling tune. It is indicated by the pitch mark (_m).

-I told you to go.

-I'm tired of wasting my time on this sort of thing.