Word Stress

Question 1

Definition of stressed syllables.

Answer 1

longer, louder and higher in pitch.

Question 2

What allows the native speaker to tap out the rhythm of syllables within a word or words within an utterance?

Answer 2

The increase in muscular energy and respiratory activity of expelling air from the lungs and articulating syllables.

Question 3

From the listener’s point of view, what are the most salient features of stress?

Answer 3

Longer vowel duration in the stressed syllable and higher pitch.

Question 4

What is greater in English than in most other languages - with the possible exception of German, its Germanic language cousin?

Answer 4

The difference between stressed and unstressed syllables.

Question 5

3 levels of word stress.

Answer 5

Strongly stressed, lightly stressed and unstressed syllables.

Question 6

Stress placement in English derives from what?

Answer 6

Careful history of the language.

Question 7

For words of Germanic origin, which syllable of the base form of a word is typically stressed?

Answer 7

The first syllable.

Question 8

2 examples of words of Germanic origin with the right syllable stressed?

Answer 8

FAther

WISdom

Question 9

What is the percentage of the 1000 most used words in English coming from Germanic origins?

Answer 9

83% (but only few words in the whole lexicon of English).

Question 10

What usually happens to stress syllables in loan (borrowed) words?

Answer 10

The stress usually changes to an initial position like Germanic stress.

Question 11

Prefixes: Germanic versus Latinate prefixes influence.

Answer 11

Germanic: unstressed or lightly stressed prefixes (primary stress on root word).
Latinate: unstressed prefixes (except when create new verbs).

Question 12

Suffixes affect word stress in what 3 ways?

Answer 12

1. They may have no effect on the stress pattern of the root word.
2. They may receive strong stress themselves.
3. They may cause the stress pattern in the stem to shift from one syllable to another.

Question 13

For the most part, from what origin are the neutral suffixes that do not affect the stress pattern of the root word?

Answer 13

Germanic origin.

Question 14

What origin of suffixes cause the final syllable of a word to receive strong stress, with other syllables receiving light or no stress?

Answer 14

French origin.

Question 15

Cardinal and ordinal numbers that represent multiples of ten (20-30-40..) have primary syllable on which syllable?

Answer 15

First syllable.

Question 16

Two stress patterns for numbers ending in -teen like “thirtheen” and when each one is used.

Answer 16

• 1st syllable (THIRteen) = Native speakers tend to use this pattern before a noun in attributive position (e.g., the THIRteenth man) and when counting.
• 2nd syllable (thirTEEN) = This pattern is more common in phrase-final or utterance-final position, or when speakers are trying to make a deliberate distinction between the ten and teen digits. When pairs of words such as thirteen and thirty might be confused, native speakers may prefer the second pattern (i.e.. strong stress on the second syllable) to differentiate clearly.

Question 17

Noun compounds: primary stress.

Answer 17

On the first compound (first syllable or word).

Question 18

Nouns with -self/selves suffixes: stressed syllable?

Answer 18

On the -self/selves. (himSELF).

Question 19

In a sentence, what words tend to receive stress?

Answer 19

nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs.

Question 20

In a sentence, what words tend to be unstressed?

Answer 20

articles, prepositions and auxiliary verbs.