Phonetics --> 5th Lecture (Stress)

Phonetics --> 5th Lecture

Stress

Rules for the prediction of stress in English are highly complicated and have many exceptions. The following rules for the position of word stress are used as guidelines and are not considered as an inclusive list.

*All  words of  more than one syllable are stressed :

1-Nouns and adjectives of two syllables are usually stressed on the first syllable , for example , record /rekÉ:d/ , excellent /eksl¶nt / , pencil /pensl /.

2-Verbs of two syllables are  usually stressed on the second syllable which distinguishes  nouns from verbs , for example , record /rekÉ:d / .

3-Words of three syllables are stressed on the second or third syllable , for example , tomorrow ,  remember .

4-Nouns ending in suffixes –ion , -ian , -tion , -ity are stressed on the syllable before the suffix , for example , relaxation , politician , examination , necessity           , application . 

5-Verbs ending in –ish are stressed on the syllable before the suffix , for example, establish, embellish.

6-Adjectives ending in –ic , -ical , - ous , -eous , - ious , - cious are stressed on the syllable before the suffix , for example , auspicious , historic , historical , pompous , courageous , precious.

7-Adjectives ending in –ive , -ible are stressed on the syllable before the suffix , e.g. respective , terrible.

8-Words ending in –ese have the stress on this syllable , e.g. Chinese .

9-Do not stress the negative prefix connected to an adjective , e.g. possible – impossible , literate – illiterate. Exception : nowhere , nothing , nobody , nonsense.

A final word about stress

                Stress is the relative loudness or force with which we pronounce the different syllables of a word. It varies from syllable to syllable. For example, in the word record (noun) and the word record (verb), we notice that in the noun form, the first syllable is pronounced with more force than the second, where as in the verb form, the second is more prominent than the first. We say, then, that in the noun form, the first syllable receives a high stress and the second receives a weak stress. In the verb form, it is the second syllable that receives the high stress and the first the weak stress.

General Exercises on Stress

Words with the high stress on the first syllable :

Thousand Neighbor Childhood Doctrine Diphthong Crocodile Catalogue Uniform

Hundred English Handsome Famous Alphabet Discipline Topical Furniture

Gossip Homeless Palace Cashmere Manifest Paradise Gramophone Anecdote

Borough Postman College Effort Interest Industry Microphone Attitude

Words with the high stress on the second syllable :

Sincere Humane Severe Courageous Exotic Authentic Historical Romanticism Condition

Hotel Romance Police Chemise Dramatic Electric Electrical Catholicism Spontaneous

Canal Chinese Cadet Polite Terrific Hygienic Mechanical Fanatically Conspicuous

Cigar Supreme Fatigue Violin Phonetics Despotic Statistical Society Ambiguous

Words with the high stress on the third syllable :

Lemonade Alphabetic Uniformity Introduction Intermediate Economical

Opportunity Immorality Relaxation Ambiguity Illegitimate Psychological

Portuguese Nationality Institution Education Insignificant Comprehensive

Words with the high stress on the fourth  syllable:

Communication Eligibility Incapability

Participation Sentimentality Etymological

Insensibility Manifestation

The following words receive the high stress either on the first syllable or on the second depending upon whether the word is used as a noun or as a verb :

Noun	Verb
Accent Compact Conduct Conflict Contrast Digest Insult Object Permit Produce	To accent To compact To conduct To conflict To contrast To digest To insult To object To permit To produce

Notice that :

a)Each syllable contains a vowel sound.

b)That the number of vowel letters does not always coincide with the number of vowel sounds.

c)And that the number of consonants differ from one to three before the   vowel and from one to four after the vowel.

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