Intonation models and their functions in Hadith Qudsi "Factory - Phonology"

Abstract

This study investigates intonational patterns and their grammatical, semantic, and expressive functions in selected Hadith Qudsi utterances. Combining descriptive analysis with an experimental acoustic approach, it examines nine recorded examples representing interrogative, conditional, vocative, and imperative constructions. The recordings were analyzed using Praat software to trace fundamental frequency (F0) movements and identify rising, falling, and complex pitch contours. Findings indicate that intonation varies according to sentence structure and communicative purpose. Interrogative utterances display rising, falling, or falling–rising patterns, while conditional constructions generally move toward a final fall signaling completion. Vocative and imperative forms exhibit more variable contours that reinforce emphasis, address, and directive force. The analysis also shows how prosodic cues contribute to interpreting implied questions and distinguishing literal from contextual meanings. Overall, the study highlights intonation as an essential phonological resource for clarifying syntactic relationships, conveying expressive intentions, and reducing ambiguity in Classical Arabic religious discourse and spoken communication.