According to the declination view of intonation, what happens to fundamental frequency over the length of a statement?

The declination view of intonation posits that fundamental frequency tends to decrease over the course of a statement, which is reflected in the correct answer. This concept is grounded in the observation that as a speaker maintains a prolonged segment of speech, the pitch naturally trends downward, creating a kind of falling melody that characterizes many spoken languages.

This decline in pitch serves several purposes in communication; it can signal the end of a thought or indicate that the speaker has completed their point. It contrasts with other patterns of pitch variation that may involve steady levels or increases, such as rising intonations that often indicate questions or uncertainty. The steady decline aligns with natural speech patterns and is a fundamental aspect of how intonation conveys meaning in speech.