Abstract: This paper takes several dialogues in Friends as examples, discussing the characteristics and the communicational functions of English intonation, which aims to illustrate the composition, the different characteristics and the different uses of tunes. The idea - tunes will not change the meanings of vocabularies in sentences, but the meanings of sentences will change when different tunes are used – is put forward. This paper considers that different tunes may give the same sentences different meanings, sometimes even the opposite. Obviously, in oral English, tunes play a very important role in conveying meanings.

Key words: English intonation; tune; characteristics; functions

摘要：本文以美剧《老友记》中多个对话为例，讨论了英语语调特点及交际功能，旨在对英语语调的组成、功能特点以及不同声调的运用一一求证。本文提出了“语调不会改变句子里词汇的意思，但语调使用的差异会使句意产生差异”的观点。本文认为，不同的语调能使同一句话表达不同的、有时甚至是截然相反的意思。因此，在英语的口语表达中，语调占有非常重要的位置。

关键词：英语语调；声调；特点；功能