[Listening] one sentence

[nzaier]

Hello,

The file attached is an audio file containing one sentence "When ...".

Could you please listen to it and write down what she is saying?

 

[GoesStation]

I can only get the first bit: When are you hoping to …. Maybe a British ear will be able to make out the muffled two or three words at the end.

 

[jutfrank]

No idea whatsoever. I can't even make out When are you hoping to, if that is what she says.

 

[GoesStation]

I take it back. It's a muddle. I'm listening to it at half speed with the Amazing Slow-Downer Android app and it's no better.

 

[GoesStation]

Now I'm back to hearing something. It could be When are you hoping to be flat? This would be easier if we had a longer snippet.

 

[jutfrank]

Now I'm back to hearing something. It could be When are you hoping to be flat?

With your suggestion in mind, I can now hear When are you hoping to be. I can't hear a /t/ at the end of flat ,however.

One factor that makes me think she's not saying When are you hoping to is the lack of 'question' intonation.

This would be easier if we had a longer snippet.

Absolutely.

 

[GoesStation]

One factor that makes me think she's not saying When are you hoping to is the lack of 'question' intonation.

It would work if the extract followed something like So then he asks me …. The intonation still isn't quite right though.

 

[GoesStation]

Could you please listen to it and write down what she is saying?

Nzaier, please put up a longer recording and tell us something about where it comes from.

 

[emsr2d2]

I'm about 95% certain she says "Where are you hoping to use that?" It's not helped by words 5 and 6 being partially obscured by a man's laugh.

 

[jutfrank]

I'm about 95% certain she says "Where are you hoping to use that?"

Hmm. If you're right, then it's a very odd intonation, since the content word use seems to be completely unstressed, and the final word that has a falling tone.