Second year LMD

Phonetics

Lecturer: Dr. Chelli

Lecture No. 4
Follow up of Word Stress
III) Three-syllable simple words
1) Three-syllable simple verbs
Rule 1: If the final syllable contains a long vowel, a diphthong or ends with more than one consonant, the stress
falls on that syllable.
Rule 2: If the final syllable contains a short vowel and ends with no more than one consonant, that syllable will
be unstressed (the stress falls on the preceding syllable).
Activity: Transcribe the following verbs and try to identify the rule governing stress placement in each one.
Words
abandon
interrupt
accredit
develop
determine
deliver
imagine

Transcription

Rule

2) Three-syllable simple nouns

Rule 1: If the final syllable contains a short vowel or the diphthong /
/, it is unstressed. If the syllable
preceding the final syllable contains a long vowel, a diphthong or more than one consonant, that central syllable
receives stress.
Examples: disaster, potato
Rule 2: If the final syllable contains a short vowel and the central syllable contains a short vowel and ends with
no more than one consonant, the first syllable receives stress.
Example: quantity, cinema
* Most of the rules seen previously show stress on the syllable containing a long vowel, a diphthong or ending
with more than one consonant.
* However, if the final syllable contains a long vowel, a diphthong or end with more than one consonant, the
stress falls on the first syllable.
Examples: intellect, yesterday, cataract
* Adjectives need the same rule to produce stress patterns.
Activity: Transcribe the following nouns or adjectives and identify the rule governing stress placement in each
one.
Words
cathedral
accident
tomato
innocence
innocent
tomorrow
opportune
insolent

Category

Transcription

Rule

tobacco
mimosa
embargo
* Read these three-syllable words aloud then transcribe them at home.
Word
medicine
camera
vitamin
envelope
holiday
valentine
energy
calendar
comedy
battery
register
rectangle
misery
banana

Transcription