Chapter: Prosodic features of language Flashcards
- Give a comprehensible definition of a syllable.
When we pronounce or hear words, we are intuitively able to divide them into smaller acoustic units, which do not necessarily carry lexical or grammatical meaning.
These units can be represented by just one segment of speech – one speech count, or by an entire sequence of speech sounds. Units of this sort are called syllables.
- Explain the word stress
Stress is defined as a conscious prominence -> increasing change of lenght, loudness, and pitch of the syllable, fulfilling certain lexical and grammatical functions.
- Explain and give examples of primary and secondary stress.
Primary stress:
is the increase of loudness, length, and variation of the pitch of a syllable, which gives it a high degree of prominence.
- We indicate it using a small vertical mark placed high up before the syllable it refers to - ‘
Secondary stress:
is the increase of loudness, length, and variation of the pitch of a syllable (s), which gives the syllable (s) a medium degree of prominence.
- In English, secondary stress can either precede or follow the primary stress. We can find it in words consisting of two and more syllables, and there are usually not more than two secondary stresses in one word. It can be placed on any syllable.
- We indicate it through a small vertical mark placed low down before the syllable it refers to - ,
- Explain and provide examples of the variation of word stress.
Word stress can vary depending on factors such as the speaker’s dialect, the speed of speech, and the context of the utterance.
- in American English, the word “important” is typically stressed on the first syllable, but in British English, it can be stressed on the second syllable.
- when speaking quickly, people may de-emphasize or even drop stress on certain syllables, while placing more stress on other syllables to maintain intelligibility.
Example:
- “important”: /’ɪmpɔː.tənt/ (American English) vs. /ɪmˈpɔːr.tʌnt/ (British English)
- Define sentence stress.
Sentence stress (phrasal stress) is the relative degree of force given to the different words in a sentence. Similar to word-stress, it is a conscious prominence-increasing change of loudness, length and pitch. The overall degree of prominence is also influenced by the sonority of the sounds in the syllable.
Sentence stress is distributed over different words within the sentence.
- Explain the late stress principle.
Primary stress is normally placed on the last lexical word in a phrase or a sentence.
Example:
,next ‘year.
could have ‘seen.
It’s ,too ‘soon.
- Explain the relation between stress and the number of lexical words. Give examples.
Lexical words have a stateable lexical meaning, and they are the counterpart of grammatical words. In lexical words, lexical meaning prevails over their grammatical meaning. They include nouns, verbs, adjectives, numerals, and adverbs.
The most basic principle of sentence, stress is that we normally place it on all lexical words in the sentence. For example, in the following sentence, all lexical words are stressed ( they have either primary or secondary stress)
The ‘price is the ,thing that a’nnoys me.
- Explain and give an example of logical emphasis in sentence stress.
The placement of primary stress may depend on which word needs to be logically emphasized, i.e. it does not have to follow the late stress principle.
Example:
He is my ‘brother.
He is ‘my ,brother.
He ‘is my ,brother.
- Explain the notion of “prominence” concerning stress.
The combination of the four factors:
1. quality
2. quantity
3. loudness
4. pitch
will be called prominence.
10.What are the three degrees of prominence (stress)?
- Syllables with a high degree of prominence – syllables carrying primary stress
- Syllables with a medium degree of prominence – syllables carrying secondary stress
- Syllables with a low degree of prominence – unstressed syllables
- Explain the secondary stress treatment in simple and derived words with primary stress on the first syllable. Give an example.
Simple and derived words have no secondary stress if the primary stress is on the first syllable
Example:
buttering /’bʌtərɪŋ/
- Explain the secondary stress treatment if a simple or derived word begins with a
syllable not containing the vowel /i:/. Give an example.
Simple words and derived words beginning with a syllable not containing the vowel /i:/ have no secondary stress if the primary stress is on the second syllable
Example:
above /ə’bʌv/
- Explain the secondary stress treatment if simple and derived words have the primary stress on the second syllable and the first syllable contains the vowel /i:/. Give an example.
Simple and derived words with the primary stress on the second syllable have the secondary stress on the first syllable if the first syllable contains the vowel /i:/
Example:
redo / ,ri: ‘du:/
- Explain the secondary stress treatment in the derived words, which have three syllables; the primary stress is on the third syllable. Give an example.
Derived words that have the primary stress on the third syllable always have the secondary stress on the first syllable
Example:
innovation /ˌɪn.əˈveɪ.ʃən/
- Explain the primary and secondary stress in compounds. Give examples.
Compounds that have the primary stress on the second element always have the secondary stress on the first element
Example:
bad tempered /,bæd ‘tempəd/
Compounds and compound derivatives that have the primary stress on the first syllable can have the secondary stress on the second element if the second element consists of more than one syllable
Example:
typewriter / ‘taɪp ,raɪtə/
