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The Maple Leaf Rag

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Mapleleaf Man

Canada

October 29, 2007

This blog is for more advanced speakers, but everyone who can read this can have some fun.

Read this sentence. Figure out what meaning you are giving the sentence as a whole.

'I didn't say I spoke to him.'

Pretty easy right? Well, what if you emphasized a different word each time you said the sentence? 

The first time you do it, it seems like YOU didn't speak to the person. The second time you say it, it seems like you DIDN'T say you spoke to him. What did you do? Did you speak to him or write to him or what? The third time it seems you didn't SAY you spoke to him. Maybe you sent him a text. Maybe you emailed him. 

Do you see where this is going? That simple sentence has seven different ways that it can be spoken. The difference in all of these different ways is 'intonation'. If you want to excel in English you have to learn a little bit about intonation and how it can change the way a spoken phrase 'sounds' to a listener.

This is a fun example. Don't worry if this doesn't sound easy right now. Read the sentence and try to make it sound differently each time. I'll try to figure out a way to add an mp3 of me reading that sentence to my profile. Together, we will have you speaking English just a little bit better than you have before. It will be a fun journey! 

More entries: A New Year, New Ways to Learn (1), English sucks...but don't give up. (6), Learning English is never easy, but it's worth the effort. (4), Easy English Stories, English vocabulary - another way to learn (1), A Shit of Paper (3), Break a leg - another English idiom. , Repost: Are all Chinese girls lesbians? (3), How language affects your life. (3), Chinese Writing (5)

View all entries from The Maple Leaf Rag >

06:41 AM Nov 02 2007

Ellvar
China

 Seven different way,seven different meanings!!! It's difficult. I just understand the meanings you have mentioned ,and I can't figure out anything more by now. It's really a very good lesson.Thank you very much.I really appreciate that.

01:39 AM Nov 02 2007

oxanna

oxanna
Moldova, Republic Of

 wow, it is really interesting, i spent about 15 minutes on reading this sentence in three different ways and i could do it, i found it very funy, well Brian you know the way to capture our atention. you are the best. i am waiting for the mp3 you have promised because i still can/t see the rest of the meanings. keep on doing this!

07:06 AM Nov 01 2007

candy&jessica
China

 Hi, till now I realize that the intonation is so important in English.Just as in Chinese. But I still need some time to understand these several meanings. Thanks for your guidance~~