POLAR EMPHASIS: SUMMARY

POLAR EMPHASIS: SUMMARY

We can summarise this description of the way emphasis is expressed in the verbal group with the following points:-

(1)

Polarity in the verbal group has three structural forms:-

	(i) verbal groups which have no polar emphasis
	e.g.	He went home.
		We're going now.
	(ii) verbal groups which have negative polar emphasis
	e.g.	He didn't go home.
		We're not going now.
	(iii) verbal groups which have positive polar emphasis
	e.g.	He did go home.
		We are going now.

(2)	Negation is a form of polar emphasis, and in the simple tenses both negative and positive polar emphasis are signalled by means of the operator DO.

(3)	Polarity is a function of the operator in the verbal group. Tonal prominence is placed on the operator in emphatic forms, and on the main verb in non-emphatic forms.

(4)	For the verbs BE and HAVE, which also have contracted forms, the emphasised form is uncontracted.

Polarity in simple tenses

Polarity in complex tenses

Intonation and stress

The discussion of the role of intonation in emphasis is a description of tendencies that may be understood as establishing a norm, not an invariable feature. Intonation is of course an independent component of speech, and functions in ways which are not tied to grammatical structures. The above discussion shows only how grammar and intonation may function expressively in a converging complementary way.

But the reasons which may prompt speakers to place stress on particular components of speech are manifold, and we cannot go into these here. However, an important feature of intonation in speech is the tendency to place a tonal prominence on the item which is the focus of information. This refers to the item provides the most important element of contrast in the information structure. In practice, then, any item of speech may be emphasised if it provides the focus of information, and if doing so fulfils an expressive function.

Consider the following examples:-
e.g.	(a) // I / bought / a pen //
	(b) // I / bought / a pen //
	(c) // I / did / buy / a pen //
	(d) // I / bought / a pen //

In (a) we have the focus of information in the object - the subject bought a "pen" as opposed to a "pencil", "book" or any other potential paradigm. In terms of the system of polarity, the verbal group in (a) is neutral positive (non-emphatic) and thus expresses the expectation norm for polarity. In (b) we see the focus of information as falling on the verb - the lexical verb "bought" as opposed to "found", "borrowed" or any other potential paradigm. In (c) the focus is again on the verb, but this time with positive polar emphasis - "did buy" as opposed to "didn't buy" which constitutes the negative contrasting paradigm. In (d) the focus of information is placed on the subject - "I" as opposed to "you", "he", "John" or any other potential paradigm. Thus we see that any description of how intonation and grammar function systematically is subject to the limitations imposed by these other considerations, and it should be borne in mind then that the present analysis has for the purpose of description ignored these other expressive functions. Formal and informal registers A further point to note here is the close correspondence between the system of polar emphasis and the way in which the contrast between formal and informal registers of English are realised. The following examples with prominences show this similarity:-
e.g.	(i) // He's / arrived //
	(ii) // He / has / arrived //
	(iii) // He / has / arrived //

In (i) and (ii) we see the expected patterns of stress in the neutral positive and positive polar emphasis forms respectively. Example (iii) shows the stress pattern for non-emphatic neutral form, although the auxiliary is not contracted. This is typical of formal language, in which contracted forms tend to be avoided. This can occur in spoken English, but is unusual, and represents the formal register which is more typical of written language. It is most likely to be heard in formal announcements and spoken readings from written texts.