CORRELATION BETWEEN TERMINAL TONES AND KINESIC MEANS IN MULTIMODAL DISCOURSE

Abstract

A multimodal approach to the study of communication is now topical for linguistic examination. The article, based on documentary cross-cultural interview, seeks to investigate correlation between terminal tones and kinesic means in the process of interaction between Englishmen and Americans. The work analyses intonation modality with regard to pitch changes in the terminal part of the sense-group, i.e. the falling, rising, level and falling-rising nuclear tones in British and American pronunciation standards. The study of kinesic modality is based on scrutinising such accentuating means as hand, head, body, and eyebrow movements. The author singles out a set of tonal-kinesic models in the respondents’ speech, highlighting the cultural aspect of their use within the frame of documentary interview. The obtained data shows considerable potential for further investigation of the correlation between intonation and gestures.