[General] intonation

[jaemie]

"Is that right?"

when using a rising intonation , what it mean?
how about falling intonation?

from a learner

 

[nyota]

***I'm not a teacher***

I'd say that with a rising intonation you're actually asking for clarification/answer/confirmation. Falling intonation makes it sound more sarcastic, like you were saying "Oh reeaally?" (proper spelling: Oh, really?).

 

[SirGod]

*Not a teacher

Rising intonation

Your son is doing drugs.
(getting angry) Is that right, Ben?

Falling intonation

Your husband is cheating on you.
(bursting into tears) Is that right, my love?

 

[nyota]

***I'm not a teacher***

Falling intonation
Your husband is cheating on you.
(bursting into tears) Is that right, my love?

If I was actually asking my husband if he was cheating on me (to me my love somehow points to that) I would use a rising intonation.

If somebody told me that my husband was cheating on me, and it came as no surprise to me, I might say Is that right with a falling intonation.

 

[jaemie]

thanks for the answer

 

[JTRiff]

NONTeacher

Rising could imply desperation. They are coming to repossess the car, Gladys." "Is that right, Ben?"
Falling, perhaps depression. "They said your dog was run over by a steamroller." "Is that right, Ben?"
It probably depends on the question preceding it, to some degree.

 

[nyota]

Oh OK, I see now how a falling intonation could work with being depressed.

 

[birdeen's call]

I have found a Youtube video on intonation in English. I haven't listened to this one, because my speakers won't work, but I have seen other videos posted by that lady and they were pretty good.

 

[nyota]

No link displayed birdeen! Try again.

 

[probus]

To me, "Is that right" with a falling intonation is always or almost always ironic.

 

[birdeen's call]

No link displayed birdeen! Try again.

Here it is:
YouTube - Lesson 10a - INTONATION - English Pronunciation

Thanks. I was so focused on my Youtube experiences that I forgot to paste the link.