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Intonation vs Inflection - What's the difference?

intonation | inflection |

As nouns the difference between intonation and inflection

is that intonation is the rise and fall of the voice in speaking while inflection is a change in the form of a word that reflects a change in grammatical function.

intonation

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • (linguistics) The rise and fall of the voice in speaking.
  • The act of sounding the tones of the musical scale.
  • Singing or playing in good tune or otherwise.
    • Her intonation was false.
  • Reciting in a musical prolonged tone; intonating or singing of the opening phrase of a plain-chant, psalm, or canticle by a single voice, as of a priest.
  • A thundering; thunder.
    • (Bailey)

    Related terms

    * intonable * intonate * intonational * intonationally * intonator * intone * intoner

    References

    * *

    inflection

    English

    (wikipedia inflection)

    Alternative forms

    * inflexion

    Noun

  • (grammar) A change in the form of a word that reflects a change in grammatical function.
    • an inflection for gender, number, or tense
  • A change in pitch or tone of voice.
  • (mathematics) A change in curvature from concave to convex or from convex to concave.
  • A turning away from a straight course.
  • (optometry) diffraction

    • Synonyms

    * flection * flexion

    Hyponyms

    * (grammar) conjugation * (grammar) declension

    Related terms

    * inflect * inflected