*English Supra-Segmental Phoneme*English Supra-Segmental Phoneme*Stress*Stress*Degrees of Stress/ Transcription *Degrees of Stress/ Transcription *Word Stress*Word Stress*Sentence Stress*Sentence Stress*Stress in Compound words; level stress; *Stress in Compound words; level stress; stress in foreign wordstress in foreign word

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English Supra-Segmental PhonemeEnglish Supra-Segmental Phoneme

The term supra-segmental was invented to refer to aspects of The term supra-segmental was invented to refer to aspects of sound such as intonation that did not seem to be properties of sound such as intonation that did not seem to be properties of individual segments (i. e. the vowels and consonants of which individual segments (i. e. the vowels and consonants of which speech is composed). The term has tended to be used speech is composed). The term has tended to be used predominantly by American writers, and much British work predominantly by American writers, and much British work has preferred to use the term prosodic_ instead. There has has preferred to use the term prosodic_ instead. There has never been full agreement about how many supra-segmental never been full agreement about how many supra-segmental features are to be found in speech, but pitch, loudness, features are to be found in speech, but pitch, loudness, tempo, rhythm and stress are the most commonly mentioned tempo, rhythm and stress are the most commonly mentioned ones. ones.

StressStress A feature in many languages causing certain syllables to A feature in many languages causing certain syllables to sound more prominent than others. There prominent syllables sound more prominent than others. There prominent syllables are called stressed. Other syllables are called unstressed. are called stressed. Other syllables are called unstressed. Stress is often a combination of several phonetic features. In Stress is often a combination of several phonetic features. In every content words (i. e. every words, except for functions every content words (i. e. every words, except for functions words like: to, the, and an etc.) are stressed like: pwords like: to, the, and an etc.) are stressed like: peervert rvert subsubjject ect

In English, stressed syllables have In English, stressed syllables have the following characteristicsthe following characteristics::

They are louder than unstressed syllables. There is more They are louder than unstressed syllables. There is more energy involved in producing the air stream for stressed energy involved in producing the air stream for stressed syllables which leads to greater relative loudness.syllables which leads to greater relative loudness.

They have different, often higher, pitch than unstressed They have different, often higher, pitch than unstressed syllables. syllables.

They are typically slightly longer in duration than They are typically slightly longer in duration than unstressed syllables.unstressed syllables.

They have different vowels from unstressed syllables.They have different vowels from unstressed syllables.

In some language stress -placement is predictable. For In some language stress -placement is predictable. For example: French and Persian words are nearly always stresses example: French and Persian words are nearly always stresses on the last syllable. But in English, stress placement is on the last syllable. But in English, stress placement is somewhat unpredictable and needs to be learned as a part of somewhat unpredictable and needs to be learned as a part of pronunciation of any words with more than one syllable. pronunciation of any words with more than one syllable. In IPA, stress is marked with [´] -symbol before the stress In IPA, stress is marked with [´] -symbol before the stress syllables.syllables.Stress can be considered as a key to correct pronunciation of Stress can be considered as a key to correct pronunciation of an English word hence if proper stress is not assigned to the an English word hence if proper stress is not assigned to the right syllable the meaning is changed for example: right syllable the meaning is changed for example: dedesert vs sert vs dedesesert rt

Stress LevelsStress Levels In some words, more than one vowel is stressed, but if so, on In some words, more than one vowel is stressed, but if so, on of these stressed vowels receives greater stress than others. of these stressed vowels receives greater stress than others. In polysyllabic ( A linguistic unit such as a word, morpheme or In polysyllabic ( A linguistic unit such as a word, morpheme or phrase is polysyllabic if it contains more than one syllable). phrase is polysyllabic if it contains more than one syllable). Words normally have more than one stressed syllable, one of Words normally have more than one stressed syllable, one of which is usually more prominent than others. We have which is usually more prominent than others. We have indicated the most highly stressed vowel by primary stress indicated the most highly stressed vowel by primary stress and the other stress vowels are indicated by secondary and and the other stress vowels are indicated by secondary and weak .weak .In economical the third syllable has primary stress, the first In economical the third syllable has primary stress, the first has secondary and the rest of the syllables are weak. has secondary and the rest of the syllables are weak.

With phonetic transcriptions, dictionaries tell you about the With phonetic transcriptions, dictionaries tell you about the pronunciationpronunciation of words. In English  of words. In English dictionaries, phonetic transcriptions are necessary, because the spelling of an English word does dictionaries, phonetic transcriptions are necessary, because the spelling of an English word does not tell you how you should pronounceit.not tell you how you should pronounceit.Phonetic transcriptions are usually written in the Phonetic transcriptions are usually written in the  International Phonetic AlphabetInternational Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), in which  (IPA), in which each English sound has its own symbol. (You can take a look at a chart with all the English each English sound has its own symbol. (You can take a look at a chart with all the English sounds and their IPA symbols.)sounds and their IPA symbols.)For example, the IPA-based phonetic transcription of For example, the IPA-based phonetic transcription of nono is noʊ, and the transcription of  is noʊ, and the transcription of dodo is du:.  is du:. Note that in spelling, these words are similar. They both end in the letter Note that in spelling, these words are similar. They both end in the letter oo. But their phonetic . But their phonetic transcriptions are different, because they are pronounced differently.transcriptions are different, because they are pronounced differently.Phonetic transcription is usually given in brackets, like this: /noʊ/, /du:/. In a dictionary, it looks Phonetic transcription is usually given in brackets, like this: /noʊ/, /du:/. In a dictionary, it looks like this:like this:

(By the way, not all dictionaries give the pronunciations of words. If you are serious about (By the way, not all dictionaries give the pronunciations of words. If you are serious about learning English, you should buy a dictionary which has this information.)learning English, you should buy a dictionary which has this information.)

httphttp://://wwwwww..antimoonantimoon..comcom//howhow//pronuncpronunc--transtrans..htmhtmPhonetic transcription is usually written in Phonetic transcription is usually written in [[square bracketssquare brackets] ] or between two \backslash symbols\or between two \backslash symbols\..  

Stress: main stress is a short vertical or slant line placed at the top before the stressed syllable in Stress: main stress is a short vertical or slant line placed at the top before the stressed syllable in the phonetic transcription of the word; secondary stress is a short vertical or slant line placed at the phonetic transcription of the word; secondary stress is a short vertical or slant line placed at the bottom before the stressed syllable. E.g.: the bottom before the stressed syllable. E.g.:     

English Supra-SegmentalEnglish Supra-Segmental

Word stressWord stressWhen a word has many syllables, one of them is alwaysWhen a word has many syllables, one of them is always  pronouncedpronounced  more stronglymore strongly. . This is calledThis is called  word stressword stress, , and we say and we say that the syllable isthat the syllable is  stressedstressed. . For example, in the wordFor example, in the word  becomebecome, , the the stressed syllable isstressed syllable is  comecome. . If the stressed syllable If the stressed syllable waswas  bebe, , becomebecome  would bewould be  pronouncedpronounced  like thislike this..Dictionaries tell you which syllable is stressedDictionaries tell you which syllable is stressed. . The most popular The most popular system is to put a vertical linesystem is to put a vertical line (ˈ)  (ˈ) beforebefore  the stressed syllable in the the stressed syllable in the phonetic transcription of the wordphonetic transcription of the word. . For example, the transcription For example, the transcription forfor  becomebecome  isis / /bɪˈkʌmbɪˈkʌm/./.If a word has only one syllable If a word has only one syllable ((for examplefor example: : penpen, , househouse), ), the the syllable is always stressedsyllable is always stressed. . Dictionaries usually do not put Dictionaries usually do not put thethe ˈ  ˈ stress mark before the only syllablestress mark before the only syllable. . So they don’t So they don’t writewrite /ˈ /ˈpenpen/ — / — they simply writethey simply write / /penpen/./.Some dictionaries use other systems for showing word stressSome dictionaries use other systems for showing word stress. . For For example, they may putexample, they may put ˈ  ˈ afterafter  the stressed syllable, or they may the stressed syllable, or they may underline the stressed syllableunderline the stressed syllable..