How you talk indicates to people how you are
Beware of “revealing” a personality that you don't have!
There is no absolute right or wrong in regard to intonation because a case can be made for stressing just about any word or syllable, but you actually reveal a lot about yourself by the elements you choose to emphasize. For example, if you say, Hello? This intonation would indicate doubt. This is why you say, hello? When answering the telephone because you don't know who is on the other end. Or when you go into a house and you don't know who's there because you don't see anyone. But if you're giving a speech or making a presentation and you stand up in front of a crowd and say, hello? The people would probably laugh because it sounds so uncertain. This is where you'd confidently want to say Hello, my name is so-and-so.
A second example is, my name is —— as opposed to my name is. If you stress name, it sounds as if you are going to continue with more personal information: my name is so-and-so, my address is such-and-such, my blood type is O. Since it may not be your intention to give all that information, stay with the standard —— hello, my name is so-and-so.
If you stress I every time, it will seem that you have a very high opinion of yourself. Try it: I'm taking American accent training. I've been paying attention to pitch, too. I think I'm quite wonderful.
An earnest, hard-working person might emphasize words this way: I'm taking American accent training （can I learn this stuff?）. I hope to make it as enjoyable as possible （I'll force myself to enjoy it if I have to）. Although the only way to get it is to practice all the time （24 hours a day）.
A doubting Thomas would show up with: I should pick up on （but I might not） the American intonation pattern pretty easily, （but it looks pretty hard, too）. I've been talking to a lot of Americans lately, and they tell me that I'm easier to understand （but I think they're just being polite）.
Beware of “revealing” a personality that you don't have!
There is no absolute right or wrong in regard to intonation because a case can be made for stressing just about any word or syllable, but you actually reveal a lot about yourself by the elements you choose to emphasize. For example, if you say, Hello? This intonation would indicate doubt. This is why you say, hello? When answering the telephone because you don't know who is on the other end. Or when you go into a house and you don't know who's there because you don't see anyone. But if you're giving a speech or making a presentation and you stand up in front of a crowd and say, hello? The people would probably laugh because it sounds so uncertain. This is where you'd confidently want to say Hello, my name is so-and-so.
A second example is, my name is —— as opposed to my name is. If you stress name, it sounds as if you are going to continue with more personal information: my name is so-and-so, my address is such-and-such, my blood type is O. Since it may not be your intention to give all that information, stay with the standard —— hello, my name is so-and-so.
If you stress I every time, it will seem that you have a very high opinion of yourself. Try it: I'm taking American accent training. I've been paying attention to pitch, too. I think I'm quite wonderful.
An earnest, hard-working person might emphasize words this way: I'm taking American accent training （can I learn this stuff?）. I hope to make it as enjoyable as possible （I'll force myself to enjoy it if I have to）. Although the only way to get it is to practice all the time （24 hours a day）.
A doubting Thomas would show up with: I should pick up on （but I might not） the American intonation pattern pretty easily, （but it looks pretty hard, too）. I've been talking to a lot of Americans lately, and they tell me that I'm easier to understand （but I think they're just being polite）.