PITCH CONTOUR Meaning and
Definition
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Pitch contour refers to the pattern or shape created by the variation in pitch over time in a speech or musical phrase. It is a visual representation or description of how the pitch of a vocal or instrument changes throughout an utterance or musical phrase.
In linguistics, pitch contour is commonly used to study the tones and intonation patterns of languages. It refers to the rising, falling, or level pitch patterns that are used to convey meaning or grammatical structure in tonal or intonation languages. For example, in Mandarin Chinese, the pitch contour can distinguish between different words that are otherwise homophonic, such as "ma" meaning "mother" or "ma" meaning "horse".
In music, pitch contour is a fundamental element of melody and contributes to the overall expressive quality of a musical phrase. It refers to the rise and fall of pitch within a melody, which can evoke different emotions or moods. For instance, a rising pitch contour may create a sense of excitement or tension, while a falling contour can convey a sense of resolution or calmness.
Pitch contour can be visually represented through a graph or plotted on a musical staff, with pitch levels represented on the vertical axis and time on the horizontal axis. This representation allows for analysis and comparison of pitch patterns, aiding in the study of language, music, and their expressive qualities.
Common Misspellings for PITCH CONTOUR
- oitch contour
- litch contour
- -itch contour
- 0itch contour
- putch contour
- pjtch contour
- pktch contour
- potch contour
- p9tch contour
- p8tch contour
- pirch contour
- pifch contour
- pigch contour
- piych contour
- pi6ch contour
- pi5ch contour
- pitxh contour
- pitvh contour
- pitfh contour
Etymology of PITCH CONTOUR
The term "pitch contour" is derived from two main components: "pitch" and "contour".
1. Pitch: The word "pitch" has its roots in Middle English "pich" and Old English "pic", both of which originally referred to a dark and sticky substance like resin. It came from the Latin word "pix" with the same meaning and can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root "*peik-", meaning "pitch".
2. Contour: The term "contour" originates from the Old French word "contour", meaning "shape" or "outline". It entered the English language in the late 16th century and is ultimately derived from the Latin word "contornāre", which means "to round off" or "to form the outline of" something.
Similar spelling words for PITCH CONTOUR
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