Rasgos discursivos y tematización del discurso

Abstract

This study explored the intonational differences within the clauses extracted from semispontaneous discourses of three Argentinian Spanish male informants. The experimental task consisted of a message about a set of cards from the speakers to a listener (the researcher). The communicative interaction was not face to face. Selected clauses (full and elliptical) were studied with the aim of indicating thematization versus theme and focus processes. Speech materials were acoustically analyzed through a digital pitch device (FPRDprogram). Tonal grids were designed to determine intonational patterns, phonetic prominence and, after, phonological features. Results showed boundaries between theme and rheme, and degrees of focalization triggered by informative contrast and the speaker's illocutory decision.