Suprasegmentals and Paralanguage: Why are they important?

I consider suprasegmentals and paralanguage to be important because:

1. They are vital parts of our communication in our native language.  Think about the last few misunderstandings you have had with a close friend or family member.  Maybe every once in a while you misunderstood one of the words he or she says but most likely you have more often mis-assumed the meaning of the suprasegmentals and paralanguage used by that person.  
2. They are the first aspects of language that we pick up as young children.  Suprasegmentals and paralanguage are sometimes even referred to as pre-language because they are the place we start in our first language learning process.  Have you ever noticed the impressive intonation skills of a young child's babble?  Or have you ever met a young child who can babble a story with a surprising ending, or a joke with a punch-line? 

This may not seem like good news for the language learner since suprasegmentals and paralanguage often receive very little attention in the second language classroom.  Yet, as second language learners master other aspects of speech such as pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary the risk of misunderstandings due to incorrect use of suprasegmentals will increase.

Tomorrow I will consider some ways to learn and improve your understanding and use of second language suprasegmentals and paralanguage.