This paper addresses the power of intonation to convey interpersonal or attitudinal meaning. Speakers have been shown to accommodate to each other in the course of conversation, and this convergence may be perceived as a sign of empathy. Accommodation often involves paradigmatic choices--choosing the same words, gestures, regional accent or melodic pattern, but this paper suggests that affective meaning can also be conveyed syntagmatically through the relationship between prosodic features in successive utterances. The paper also addresses the use of prosody in situations of conflict, particularly in institutional settings. The requirement of the more powerful participant to exercise control may conflict with the expression of empathy. Situations are described where divergent rather than convergent behaviour is more successful both in keeping control and in maintaining rapport. (Contains 6 footnotes.)