Final vocatives

Final vocatives are normally not accented. They usually form part of the tail of the IP.

(293) sound_loud_speaker How would you respond to that, Imogen? (Laurie Taylor; Liverpool, UK).

(294) sound_loud_speaker Well, let’s introduce him, in a way, by reading I think from the very beginning of the book, Andrew (James Naughtie; Aberdeenshire, Scotland).

(295) sound_loud_speaker That sort of thing, Mark (Sue Townsend; Leicester, UK).

As Wells explains, the deaccentuation of vocatives occurs even when they include new information directed to the addressee. He provides the following examples:

(296) sound_loud_speaker I love you, my little dimpled one.

(297) sound_loud_speaker Stop you, blithering idiot!

 

 

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