THE IMPORTANCE AND FUNCTIONS OF SPEECH MELODY

Abstract

Speech melody, also known as intonation, is one of the most essential prosodic features of spoken language. It reflects the speaker’s emotions, attitudes, and communicative intentions, serving as a key indicator of meaning beyond words themselves. The study of speech melody involves analyzing how pitch variations influence linguistic and paralinguistic communication. This article explores the importance and main functions of speech melody in human communication, focusing on its linguistic, pragmatic, and emotional roles. By examining research from phonetics, linguistics, and communication studies, this work highlights how melody helps convey meaning, maintain coherence, and establish interpersonal connections in spoken discourse.