Prosody: the musical aspects of speech!

In this session, Beatrice will give an introduction to Prosody, which is often described as ‘the musical aspects of speech’. Prosody comprises pitch (speech melody and register), time (speech tempo and rhythm), loudness, and voice quality. We will explore the forms and functions of prosody in natural talk. For example, as conversationalists we take over the floor from earlier speakers by picking up their speech rhythm; and we indicate that a conversation is nearing its end by speaking in a higher pitch. We will examine audio and video recordings of everyday talk, and together discover how speakers’ prosodic choices become meaningful in conversation. 

Beatrice Szczepek Reed is Professor of Linguistics at King’s College London, where she is the Co-Director of the Centre for Language, Discourse and Communication. Beatrice studies spoken language, particularly the phonetics and phonology of natural conversation. For example, she has researched how speakers mirror each other prosodically in natural talk; how speakers of different accents of English use speech rhythm in conversation; and how ‘liaison’ exists not only in French but also in English and German. Beatrice has also researched singing lessons, specifically how classical singing teachers communicate the body knowledge of vocal technique. Beatrice has published over 60 articles and book chapters. Her books include the textbook ‘Analysing Conversation: An Introduction to Prosody’ (Bloomsbury 2011) and the forthcoming textbook ‘The Responsive Voice. Lessons for Actors from Real-Life Conversation’ (Routledge), co-written with the actor voice coach Anne Whitaker. 

🏷️ Price £30 (UK VAT inclusive)
🎥 Recording automatically sent to all who book (even if you cannot attend live)
▶️ Rewatch as many times as you like
📜 Certificate of attendance available