What concept describes the variation in fundamental frequency at the level of the sentence?

The concept that describes the variation in fundamental frequency at the level of the sentence is intonation. Intonation refers to the pitch patterns used in speech to convey different meanings, emotions, or grammatical structures. It plays a crucial role in communication, as it can indicate whether a sentence is a statement or a question, convey sarcasm, or signal excitement.

For example, raising the pitch at the end of a sentence typically indicates that it is a question, while a falling pitch might suggest a statement or finality. This variation is not just a characteristic of isolated words but occurs throughout longer utterances, allowing for expressive and nuanced communication.

While prosody is an overarching term that includes intonation, rhythm, and stress in speech, intonation specifically focuses on variations in pitch. Thus, while prosody is related, it is intonation that directly addresses the specific question about fundamental frequency variation at the sentence level.