A Probe into the Characters of English Intonation and Its Multiple Functions

English intonation has its own characters and multiple functions in communications.Different speakers may employ different intonation to express their thoughts,attitudes and feelings,etc.Intonation not only conveys messages,but also strengthens the influence of the discourse.So it is of great importance to master the functions of intonation.The following are often cited as important functions of English intonation:semantic function,attitudinal function,grammatical function,accentual function.