Pragmatic effect of prosody in academic lectures (using the material of English-language lectures)

Abstract The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the pragmatic effect of prosodic features in English-language academic lectures. The study employed methods of linguistic description, perceptual-auditory and discourse-pragmatic analysis, modelling, and experimental research. The main prosodic parameters inherent in English-language lecture discourse were identified and systematised. These include speech tempo, which varies between 120 and 140 words per minute and is strategically adapted by the lecturer depending on the complexity and importance of the material being presented; pausing, which includes pauses of varying length (0.5–1 s for intrasyntagmatic pauses and 2–3 s for “discursive pauses” between large semantic blocks); intonation patterns with predominance of descending contours to mark the completeness of statements and ascending contours to attract attention and maintain the interest of the audience; as well as specific patterns of accentual emphasis of significant information and rhythmic organisation of the speech flow. The analysis of the functioning of these prosodic parameters in the lecture discourse helped to identify their key pragmatic functions. Strategic variation of speech pace, pause length, and intonation is used by lecturers to manage the audience’s attention, focusing it on the crucial aspects of the material being presented. The adaptation of the tempo for presenting information regarding prosodic factors also serves as a tool for regulating the cognitive load on listeners and creating optimised conditions for comprehension and memorisation processes.