句子理解相关的语音知识有:句子的重音、停顿、语调。
一、句子的重音
一个句子通常都是由多个单词组成的,这些不同的词语朗读起来,自然会有轻有重,这就是句子的重音。一般来说,实词(名词、动词、形容词、副词、数词、代词)多应重读,而虚词(冠词、介词、连词)多不重读。例如:
The `teacher is `holding `two `books in his `left `hand.
`What's the `weather like `tomorrow?
`How `many `pictures are there on the `wall? `Three.
助动词和部分系动词、人称代词、相互代词、关系代词以及形容词性物主代词在句中多不重读。例如:
She is `taking `care of her `little `brother.
Will `Jim `stay in or `go out?
Is `this the `house which you `sold `last `year?
但是,语言毕竟是表达思想感情的。为了表达的需要,一些通常无语句重音的词,也可能获得语句的重音,而一些通常有语句重音的词在一定的场合下,也可能失去语句的重音。例如:
`He,not `you,is to `go and `help them.(代词he和you一般无语句重音,此处重读是避免对方听错或订正对方的误解)
The `ball is `in the box,`not `on the box.(此处in和on重读,是为了对比)
Japan is `not `on the east of China,but `to the east of China.(介词on和to此处重读,目的旨在纠正或防止对方的误解)
`This is `not an `English book,`but a `French one.(名词book在此无语句重音,因为此处句子的内容的侧重点为“何种”书,而非侧重于是“书”,也不是其他事物)
A `library is a place `where you can `borrow some `books.(名词place此处无须重读,因为其意义比较广泛)
下列程度副词(或词组)通常不重读,而是其后的词应重读:almost,nearly,hardly,only,just,pretty,quite,rather,very,too,so,slightly,a little,merely,less,most,much,so much,very much等。例如:
`That's only `half of it.
You look rather `tired.
Would you please `speak a little `more `slowly?
由上不难看出,句子重音的变化与表意之间密不可分。认真把握说话人语句重音,对于把握和理解其要表达的意思,是大有裨益的。同样的句子,不同的语句重音,其表意会有所不同。例如:
I `never `told him `that `story.我从未告诉过他那件事的经过。(言下之意,虽告诉过他其他事,但未告诉过那件事)
I `never told `him that `story.我从未把那件事的经过告诉过他。(言下之意,虽可能告诉过别人那件事,但未告诉过“他”)
iwms 4.6