TSL3101-Lect3 Stress,Weakand Strong Forms

8/3/2019 TSL3101-Lect3 Stress,Weakand Strong Forms

1/33

Lhairani/phonology3/ipgkba

STRESS, WEAK ANDSTRONG FORMS

PISMP (TESL) YEAR 1

Introduction to Linguistics


2/33


WORD STRESS

In linguistics, stress is the relative emphasisthat may be given to certain syllables in a word.

To understand word stress, it helps to

understand syllables.

Every word is made from syllables.

Each word has one, two, three or more syllables.


3/33


Syllable

Word Number of

syllables

a // 1

qui-et /kwat / 2

ca-pa-ble /kepbl/ 3

e-ner-ge-tic /endetk/ 4

un-re-lent-ing-ly /nrlentli 5

A unit of spoken language that consists of either one

or more vowel sounds alone, a combination of vowel/sand consonant/s alone or a syllabic consonant alone.


4/33


TASK 1 - Look at the following sentences and decide thenumber of syllables found in each sentence.

1. I want you to try bungee-jumping.2. That is the silliest idea I have ever heard.

3. It may be silly but it is worth trying.

4. Scaring oneself to death is not a goodway to have fun.

5. Bungee-jumping is fun but it is definitely notfor the faint-hearted.

6. That is why it was silly of you to suggest it inthe first place.

13

9

11

14

19

17


5/33


WORD STRESSA syllable might be more prominent bydiffering it from the surrounding syllablesin terms of:

loudness (louder)pitch (usually higher pitched)

length (longer)

quality

In many

languages, changing the stress in

syllable can change the meaning of a word.


6/33


WORD STRESS

Stressed syllables are marked by placing a smallvertical line () just before the syllable it relates to.

3 levels of stress

Primary where the stress falls clearly on onesyllable e.g. /la/ allow

Secondary - represented with a low mark (). It isweaker than primary stress but stronger than otherweak syllables e.g. /ftgrfIk/ photographic

Unstressed

syllable containing //, /I/, /i:/ / or /u/

or a syllabic consonant /bl/ or /tl/, etc.


7/33


8/33Lhairani/phonology3/ipgkba

Stress in Verbs In a two syllable verb, if the second syllable is strong,

then it will be stressed.e.gs.: /pla/ apply, /rmuv/ remove

If the final syllable is weak, then the first syllable isstressed.e.gs. /me/ measure, /ebl/ able

A final syllable is unstressed if it contains //e.gs. /fl/ follow, /br/borrow



Stress in Verbs

In verbs with more than two syllables, the strongervowel may receive the primary stress.

e.gs.: /dvelp/divelop, /mdn/ imagine

If the final syllable is strong, then it will be stressed.e.gs.: /rezrekt/ ressurect, /entten/ entertain

If both the second and third syllables are weak,then the stress falls on the initial syllable.

e.g./ klrfa/ clarify, /brw/ borrowing



Stress in Adjectives The stress falls on the first syllable of the two

syllable adjectives.Egs. /fetl/ fatal, /nvs/ nervous

Adjectives with more than two syllables, the stressis placed on the second last syllable.

Egs. /ksdentl / accidental, /nimk/ anaemic

Some adjectives are pronounced like verbs wherethe stress falls on the final syllable if the syllablehas strong vowel (long vowels and diphthongs).

Egs. /bsin/ obscene, / prfand/ profound



Stress in English Compound Nouns

The primary stress for a compound noun is given tothe first part of the compound noun.

Egs. /blkb:d /blackboard,

/plerum /playroom

In a more complex noun + noun compound thestress usually falls on the first syllable.

Egs. /st:ribk/ storybook,/rl kst/ roller coaster



Stress to ContrastEnglish Nouns- Verbs

To contrast homophones, the same rules apply.The first syllable is stressed for NOUN. Thesecond syllable is stressed for VERB

Egs.

permit - /pmt/(noun) / pmt/(verb)

refuse - /refjus /

(noun) / rifjuz /

(verb)record - /rek:d/ (noun) / rik:d / (verb)

convert - /knvt/(noun) / knvt/(verb)


13/33


Stress in English Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs consist of a verb + a preposition

The stress often falls on the first syllable for theNOUN and the second syllable for VERB

Egs.

(Noun) (Verb)

a sellout /selat/ to sell out / sel at /a letdown /letdan/ to let down / let dan/


14/33


TASK 2 - Underline the correct transcription and markthe stress of the transcribed words in brackets basedon their functions in the sentences below.

1. Please do not object to my proposal.

(/bdkt/, /bdekt/)

2. He was a rebel when he was a child.

(/rebl/, /rbel/)3. Teachers must show good conduct.

(/ kndkt/, / kndkt/)

4. When are you going to present your speech?(/preznt/, /przent/)

5. All offers are subject to change without prior notice.

(/sbdekt/, /sbdekt/)


15/33


TASK 2 Answer key

Functions

1. Please do not object to my proposal.(/bdkt/, /bdekt/) verb

2. He was a rebel when he was a child.

(/rebl/, /rbel/) noun

3. Teachers must show good conduct.(/kndkt/, / kndkt/) noun

4. When are you going to present your speech?

(/preznt/, /przent/) verb

5. All offers are subject to change without

prior notice.

(/sbdekt/, /sbdekt/) adj.


16/33


Task 3 - Put stress marks on the followingcompound words.

1. I have a birthmark on my forehead.

2. Answer the open-ended questions.

3. Do not break up the group yet.

4. Swing your arms anti-clockwise.

5. There was an electrical overload.

6. President Mubarak was overthrownrecently.

birthmark

open-ended

break up

anti-clockwise

overload

overthrown


17/33


Summary of English Word Stress Rules

Stress is on the first syllable for manycommon nouns and adjectives.

Stress is on the second syllable for mostverbs.

Affixes are rarely stressed.


18/33


Sentence Stress Sentence stress is the music of spoken English.

Like word stress, sentence stress can help you tounderstand spoken English, especially whenspoken fast.

Sentence stress is what gives English its rhythmor "beat". You remember that word stress isaccent on one syllable within a word. Sentencestress is accent on certain words within a

sentence. When you are speaking English, the words you

stress can change the underlying meaning of asentence.
http://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/word-stress.htmhttp://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/word-stress.htm


19/33


Sentence Stress

Means: Somebody elsethinks he should get that car.

Idon'tthink he should get that car.

Means:It's not true that I think he should get that car.

Idon't thinkhe should get that car.Means: Im not sure hell get that car.

Idon't thinkheshould get that car.

Means:Somebody else should get that car.

Consider the meaning of the following sentence withwhen a different word is stressed. Read it aloud andgive a strong stress to the word inred:

Idon't think he should get that car.

S t St


20/33


Sentence StressIdon't think heshouldget that car.

Means: In my opinion, its not right he gets that car.

Idon't think he shouldgetthat car.Means: He should have earned and not just be given

that car.

Idon't think he should getthatcar.Means:He should get another car.

Idon't think he should getthatcar.

Means:May be he should get something else instead.

Hence, this sentence can be understood in manydifferent ways by stressing different words in the

sentence.


21/33


Basic Rules for Sentence Stress in English

1.Content/lexical words are stressed: main verbs,

nouns, adjs. & adverbs.

2.Function words are unstressed: pronouns,preps., conjs., articles & auxilliary verbs.

3. Exceptions:- Function words may carry sentence-stress ifemphasised in some way:When cited: How do you spell "than"? Or in

comparative emphasis: "I don't think I can /kn/ doit"-"But I think you can /'kn/ do it"

- Polysyllabic function words may carry sentence-

stress: un'til, be'hind


22/33



- Demonstratives are stressed: 'This 'book is 'really

'worth 'reading'That's the 'stupidest i'dea I ve 'ever 'heard

- Negatives are stressed:I'm 'not 'coming 'here a'gain

We 'can t ex'pect 'everythingI 'hope you 'wont be an'noyed

4. The time between stressed words is always the same.


23/33



- Demonstratives are stressed: 'This 'book is 'really

'worth 'reading'That's the 'stupidest i'dea I ve 'ever 'heard

- Negatives are stressed:I'm 'not 'coming 'here a'gain

We 'can t ex'pect 'everythingI 'hope you 'wont be an'noyed

4. The time between stressed words is always the same.


24/33


WEAK AND STRONG FORMS A large number of English words can be pronounced

in two different ways: weak and strong forms.

Compare the use of the word can and from in thefollowing sentences:

Arus can/kn/ run faster than I can /kn/Shes from /frm/Johor. Where are you from/ /frm/?

Weak formsare those words that are pronounced inan unstressed manner. As they have no stress, thewords are weakened. That weakened form is called"weak form" as opposed to a "strong form", which isthe full form of the word pronounced with stress.


25/33


WEAK AND STRONG FORMS

The strong form only happens when we pronounce the

words alone, or when we emphasize them.

Weak forms are very often pronounced with a schwa,

and so are very weak and sometimes a bit difficult tohear properly.

Sometimes weak forms are easy to spot, because weuse contractions in the spelling to show it:

I am Malay. (strong form) I'm Malay. (weak form)


26/33



However, usually there is no change ofspelling, only the pronunciation is different:

Egs.,

But - strong form: /bt/ weak form: /bt/

Tell him to go - strong forms /hm/ /tu:/weak form: /telmtg/

As you can see, the grammatical words"him" and "to" are unstressed and have aweak form when pronounced inside asentence.


27/33


WEAK AND STRONG FORMS Another e.g.:

I would like some fish and chipsstrong forms /awd lak sm fnd tps/

(To a native speaker, this sounds unnatural and

more difficult to understand).

weak forms /wdlaksmfntps/

Sometimes we can use weaker forms :/dlaksmfn tps

As youcan see, the auxiliary verb "would has two

weak forms /wd/ and /d/


28/33



Students who are learning English usually use

only strong forms, sounding very unnatural.

English speakers use weak forms all the time,

every single sentence is full of them.

Students find it difficult to understand because

they are not used to them, and very often don'teven know they exist.


29/33



Weak forms consist offunction or

grammatical words such as conjunctions,articles, pronouns, prepositions and someauxiliary and modal verbs.

The following table shows some examples

of weak and strong forms in English.

Please refer to your coursebook p. 151and 152.


30/33



Word Strong

Form

Weak

Form

Example

as z z zgdzz - as good as this

but bt bt bttsnt:l - but thats not all

and nd n ju:nmi: - you and me

of v v bestv:l - the best of all

than n n betntmz - better than Toms

you ju: j djn - do you know?

from frm frm tsfrmsu: - its from Sueat t t lktmi: - look at me

his hz z hi:znzn - his on his own


31/33


TASKS

Do tutorial questions on p.152-153 and 158-159 inyour course book and discuss them during yourtutorial.

Match the phonemic transcription of the underlined

words as they are pronounced.1. What am I doing?2. Yes, I am.3. Those shoes are lovely.4. Yes, they are5. Ill see you at the party.6. What are you looking at?

/ m /

/: /

/:/

/ t /

/ t /

/ m /

/ m ///

/ em /

/ em /

/ ///

/ /

/ t / /:t/

/:t// t /

/ m /

References


32/33


References

Hornby, A.S. (2010) Oxford Advanced LearnersDictionary of Current English. 8th Edition OUP:Oxford

Castano, A.(2008). Strong vs Weak Form. RetrievedFebruary 19 2011 from http://www.multimedia-

english.com/phonetics/ weak_vs_strong_forms.php

Beare,K.(2011). Pronunciation: Changing MeaningThrough Word Stress. Retrieved February 19 2011

from http://esl.about.com/cs/pronunciation/a/a_wordstress.htm

References


33/33


ReferencesEnglishClub.Com .(2011).Sentence stress in

English. Retrieved February 19 2011 from

http://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/sentence-stress-rules.htm

Kelly,G.(2006).How to Teach Pronunciation.

Longman:UK

Kennedy,G.(2000). A Pedagogical Description ofEnglish. Victoria: University of Wellington.

Roach, P.(1999). English Phonetics and Phonology.A Practical Course. CUP:Cambridge

Documents

TSL3101-Lect3 Stress,Weakand Strong Forms