2.2 Phonetics: Russian ИК – Intonation Constructions

Heather Rice

Уро́к 2

2.2 Phonetics: Russian ИК – Intonation Constructions

Фоне́тика (Phonetics)

Intonation patterns, commonly referred to as ИК in Russian, are different enough from English sound patterns to warrant some attention.

Three of these are notable at the start of Russian language learning.

Watch the following video and then read over the examples below.

ИК – 1

This is the prosodic pattern used for simple sentences.

Э́то Ива́н.	‘This is Ivan.’
Ива́н ру́сский.	‘Ivan is Russian.’
Ива́н – мой друг	‘Ivan is my friend.’
Ива́н до́ма.	‘Ivan is at home.’

ИК – 2

This is the prosodic pattern used for questions with a question word in which the question word is emphasized relative to the rest of the statement, such as:

Кто э́то?	‘Who is this?’
Что э́то?	‘What is this?’
Где он?	‘Where is (it)?’

ИК – 3

This is the prosodic pattern used for questions WITHOUT a question word, and it is marked for a sharp rise in voice pitch on the word in question, such as:

Э́то Ива́н?	Is this Ivan? (as opposed to Boris or some other person)
Ива́н ру́сский?	Is Ivan Russian? (as opposed to American or some other nationality)
Он твой друг?	Is he your friend? (as opposed to your enemy, brother, or something else)
Он твой друг?	Is he your friend? (as opposed to someone else’s friend)
Э́то его́ моби́льник?	Is this his cell phone? (as opposed to some other object)
Э́то его́ моби́льник?	Is this his cell phone? (as opposed to someone else’s phone)
Он до́ма?	Is he (at) home? (as opposed to somewhere else)

Слу́шание – (Listening)

Интонационные Консрукции: Intonation Constructions

I. ИК – 1 & ИК – 2

Look at the images below. Read and listen to the questions and answers about them. The first two examples include questions with question words. When a question is asked using a question word, like Кто? Что?, intonation construction 2 (ИК – 2) is used. Listen. The answers are simple statements of fact. For simple statements of this type, intonation construction 1 (ИК – 1) is used. Listen.

Что э́то?

Э́то пи́цца.

Кто это?

Э́то ко́шка.

II. ИК – 3 & ИК – 1

Now look at these images and read the questions and answers that accompany them. These examples include questions without question words. When this occurs, intonation construction 3 (ИК – 3) is used. Listen. The answers, again, are simple statements of fact and use intonation construction 1 (ИК – 1).

Э́то су́мка?