intonation to show sympathy

[scaredofgrammar]

Hi there
Just wanted to check what others thought about varying intonation to show sympathy.
In the sentence: 'Oh dear, you poor thing' Is there falling intonation (on dear, poor, thing) or perhaps rise and fall on 'oh dear'??

Does this transfer to other sympathetic utterances? In general, is the rising intonation less sincere/unsympathetic in this case?
Please help! The more I say it to myself, the less I can hear the difference!!

Thanks in advance

[RonBee]

My two cents.

Oh dear! You poor thing!

The voice rises on dear and thing.

~R