An Analysis of Prosodic Features in Impromptu NBA Commentaries

Abstract

Impromptu NBA commentaries is just as exciting and wonderful as the NBA itself. It has different language characteristics from other language styles such as speeches and advertisements has its unique language features. In the past, research on commentary mainly focused on soccer, football, and so on. There are few researches involving NBA commentary, and even less on impromptu NBA commentaries.

This thesis mainly focuses on the prosodic features of impromptu NBA commentaries. This thesis is divided into four parts. The first part is an introduction to the impromptu NBA commentaries; the second part is the research on the prosodic features of the NBA impromptu commentaries at home and abroad; the third part is an introduction to the research method; the fourth part explores its prosodic features in impromptu NBA commentaries from the prominent features of stress, tempo, pause, length and loudness. 

Through the study of prosodic features of impromptu NBA commentaries, the author finds that the prosodic features of impromptu NBA commentaries are mainly reflected in the proper use of stress, variable and uneven pause and tempo, regular and irregular syllable transformation and explosive loudness. Through research, the author hope it can help to comprehend and enjoy the NBA, and at the sam e time, it can also provide references for those who want to become NBA commentators.

Key words:    NBA;   impromptu NBA commentaries;    Prosodic Features