Date: Wed, 25 Oct 1995 10:11:35 EDT From: "Richard A. Spears" <72103.2357[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]COMPUSERVE.COM> Subject: upspeak M. Lynne Murphy wrote: >>>but, i'm beginning to wonder--are these all the _same_ intonation patterns? this question is pretty vague, and productively so: - are they physically the same intonation patterns? (and are they really the same as questions?) - are they the same in their meanings/functions? - are they the same in their genesis? - is that genesis a matter of relation between the varieties or is it a cognitive universal-type thing?<<< Most of the "upspeak" that I hear seems to be more listing intonation than question intonation. Her [M.L.M.'s] example: >>>"and then the firetrucks came? and there was a firedog? and they put the fire OUT!"<<< seems to fit that. In conversations, perhaps it is used to invite someone to continue the list. But, of course, this is not much different from a question except that a question expects an answer and listing expects a *continuation* of the list or one more item to terminate it. R. Spears