WORD STRESS: GENERAL RULES AND DEFINITIONS

Every English word has one MAIN STRESS (or PRIMARY STRESS shown by a mark placed before the stressed syllable, above the line, or represented by number 2 N.B. Number 0 representing an unstressed syllable. E.g. Arrival /'rIvl / ; stress pattern = /020/ lecturer /'lektr/ , stress pattern = /200/ attractive" / 'trktIv/ , stress pattern = /020/
1.

2. Longer words (polysyllabic) often have a SECONDARY STRESS, that is, we indicate the syllable which Is the loudest after the one which bears the main stress. It is shown by putting a mark before the syllable which bears the secondary stress, but this time, below the line. It is also represented by number 1. E.g. "examination" /Ig mI'neIn/, stress pattern =/01020/ z "justification" / 3^stIfI'keIn /, stress pattern =/10020/ d 3. A sequence of two weak stress initially is not valid, */O-/ but it is valid in any other position in the word. 4. A sequence of two strong stresses(either /1/ or /2) is not valid in any position in the word: */-11-/ */-12-/do not occur */-21-/occur in the case of compounds(a) or contrastive prefixes, not in simple words. */-22-/ e.g. (a) 'good 'looking =/220/; 'first 'class =/22/, bad-tempered = /220/. (b) 'un'real =/22/; 'half 'way= /22/; 'vice'president = /220O/ 5. A syllable which contains the neutral vowel // can be marked only /O/. CONSEQUENTLY: 1- when there is one syllable before the main stress that syllable is necessarily stressed /O/, i.e. unstressed. e.g. ''combine" /km'baIn/= / 02/; "forget" /f'get/= /02/, etc. 2- When there are two syllables preceding" the main stress, they are necessarily stressed /10-/. e.g. "combination" / ombI'neIn /, not */km-/ = /1020/ k "abolition" / aeb'lIn / = /1020/ "consultation" / onslteIn/ = /1020/ k 3- When there are three syllables before the main stress, this pretonic sequence begins with- either /10-/ Or /01-/. e.g. "simplification" / ImplIfI'keIn / = /10020/ s " articipation" / a:tIsI'peIn / =/01020/ p p DEFINITIONS. WEAK ENDINGS or WEAK SUFFIXES are so called because when they are added to a

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word, they do not cause a stress shift, i.e. the place of the main stress does not change. E.g. the ending -ed is a weak ending because it does not cause a stress shift when we add it to a word: cre'ate /O2/ cre'ated /02/: the main stress remain on the same syllable. STRONG ENDINGS or STRONG SUFIXES are so called because they control the position of the main stress /2/ ,whatever the stress-pattern in the deriving form. For instance, the suffix ic is a strong ending because when we add it to a word it causes a stress shift. e.g. a'cademy /0200/ ca'demic /1020/, the ic ending has attracted the stress/2/. a 'Magnet /20/ mag'netic /020/ the ic ending has attracted the stress/2/. N.B. pretonic= occurring before the main stress. STRESS - PATTERNS Exercise 2: identify the stress-patterns given for / LILI / 1. .. 2. . 3. 4. 5. Exercise 3: Listen to the words given and find the position of the primary stress: Annoy sofa below armour police marble Exercise 4: Stress pattern/./: Listen to the words and find the position of the primary stress: Always Answer Common Cushion District Follow journey silent something ocean lovely husband ticket petrol practise wardrobe Govern manage

Exercise 5: Stress pattern /./ : words starting with a prefix Listen to the words and find the position of the primary stress: Across afraid prepare Address again without Discuss divide behind Enjoy except below Mistake perhaps

Forget herself Invite himself

Exercise 6: Stress pattern /. /: but in words which dont start with a prefix Listen to the words and find the position of the primary stress: Cadet guitar possess Canal Japan romance Sigar machine sardine Divine mature secure Finance police

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Exercise 7: Stress pattern /./ , though the words dont start with a prefix Listen to the words and find the position of the primary stress: Absence Conduct Essay Instant Product Aspect Adverb concrete conflict permit perfect perfume compass surname

Exercise 8: Identify the stress pattern /.../ in the following words: Never /../ hostel /../ hostile/../ contain/../ female /../ until /../ idea /../ Antique/../ pillar /../ programme /../ canteen/../ window/../ nephew /../ pillow /../ ado /../

2. 3 SYLLABLE WORDS There is no systematic rule for the stressing of 3-syllable words, but the general tendency is for these words to be stressed: a) on the first syllable when it is not a prefix,/200/ or /201/ b) on the second syllable when the first syllable is a prefix. Exercise 3: Listen to the words given and find the position of the primary stress: quality enormous container solution luckily character Exercise 4: Stress pattern/./: ( words which do not begin with a prefix) Anglican Average Banisters Cinema Elephant Temperature daffodil festival furniture yesterday calendar villager casualty customer clergyman orchestra passenger wonderful

Exercise 5: Stress pattern Cathedral December Eleven Equator

/./ (though the word do not start with a prefix- exceptions). maternal musician policeman utensil potatoetribunal religion spectator

Exercise 6: Stress pattern /./: words starting with a prefix Another Attention Beginning Compartment conductor however inquiry occasion remember recover sincerely directly

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Conclusion Together

instruction important

director relation

Exercise 7: Stress pattern /./ , though the words start with a prefix . Adjective difficult excellent interval Protestant elegant president obstacle Consonant evidence insolence Definite compliment instrument Note: When a syllable containing a strong vowel (i.e. a long vowel or a diphthong) immediately precedes or follows the main stress, there is no secondary stress (*/12/ */21/). But in other cases, a syllable containing a strong vowel (but not carrying the main stress) has a secondary stress. Exercise 8: a -Stress pattern: /. / Understand appetite Cigarette afternoon b- Stress pattern: /. / photograph telephone advertise picturesque Japonese

exercise envelope

NOTE: The rules mentioned in the preceding pages are only approximate. You cannot therefore apply them in a systematic way. You should keep in mind that there is a general tendency for the main stress to occur at the beginning of the word unless it starts with a prefix( for words of 2 or 3 syllables). For longer words (3 syllables and more) it is often the ending or (suffix),especially strong suffixes, which enables us to determine the place of the main stress. With strong endings it is possible to give some stress rules that can be applied systematically. 3. POLLYSYLLABIC WORDS: MAIN STRESS ON THE PENULTIMATE /---20/ 3.1. The strong suffix /--IC/ The main stress falls on the syllable preceding the suffix /--IC/ The number of the irregular words (exceptions) does not exceed 16. Most common are: 'Arabic a'rithmetic 'arsenic 'catholic 'heretic 'lunatic 'politic (s) NOTE : when we add a weak ending to these irregular word ( i.e. endings like al, -ism , -ally , etc ) they follow the genral rule (i.e. become regular words ) and the stress falls on the syllable preceding the /-- IG / ending . E .g . 'politic + al = po'litical ; 'catholic + ism = ca'tholicism etc . Exercise 1: Read out the following pairs words , paying attention to the stressshift . Atom / atomic , drama / dramatic , strategy / strategic , sympathy / sympathetic , Rhetoric/ rhetorical politic / political arithmetic arithmetical 3.2. THE RULE OF lion : ( --(I ) + v + Cn ) = / -- -20/ (e ) (u)

This is a graphic rule which includes 78 classes and 46 sub classes of

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endings .This rule should help you to memorize those endings which imply the stress pattern / - - - 20/. The rule says that the English words which end with the vowel letters i , e , or u , followed by another vowel and by one or more consonants, are stressed on the syllable preceding this rule applies to such endings as : -- ION e.g. gene 'ration -- IAR e.g. fa'miliar -- IAN e.g. li 'brarian -- IOUS e.g. 'glorious , fas'tidious -- IAL e.g. me'morial -- EOUS e.g. cou'rageous -- IENCE e.g. 'conscience -- UOUS e.g. su'perfluous -- IANCE e.g. lu'xuriance -- IUM e.g. gym'nasium 3.3. The Verbal Suffix (- - ISH) : / - - 20/ The suffix (- - ISH) is a strong suffix when it is added to verbs ( as opposed to adjectives where it is a weak ending). English verbs ending in (- - ISH) are usually stressed on the syllable preceding this ending. e.g. dis'tinguish, a'ccomplish, re'linquish, a'bolish, es'tablish,etc. exception : im'poverish 4.4. POLYSYLLABIC WORDS : STRESS ON THE ANTEPENULTIMATE SYLLABLE / ---200/ The English words ending with the STRONG SUFFIX - -ITY or -- ETY are stressed on the second syllable starting from the end, i.e. on the syllable immediately preceding the ending (- - ADE de'grade ITY)/ (- - ETY). - EE a bsen'tee 'Captive / ap'tivity, 'curious c - ESE J apo'nese / uri'osity , 'final / fi'nality, c - EER engi'neer in'ferior / ineri'ority. f - OO kanga'roo - OON ba'lloon 5. STRESS ON THE LAST - ETTE c iga'rette SYLLABLE. / - - -2/ - ESQUE humo'resque 5.1. WORDS ENDING IN:

5.2. Words which have recently been borrowed from French: ba'zaar, fi'nesse, li'queur, mous' tache, etc. 5.3. The words belonging to this category(i.e. with the main stress on the last syllable) are

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not very numerous in English and there are also some exceptions: 'centigrade, 'comrade, 'decade, 'marmelade, 'coffee, co'mmittee, 'omelette, 'cuckoo. 6. VERBS OF 3 SYLLABLES OR MORE WORDS ENDING IN ATE/-ISE/-IZE/FY /---201/ English verbs of 3 syllables or more ending in one of endings mentioned above their main stress on the third syllable from the end ( antepenultimate stress ) and have a secondary stress on the last syllable. Since the most common English verbs have only 3 syllables, their main stress is on the first syllable. Examples : 'criti ize c 'orga ize n 'reaise l 'ele ate v ' justiy f 'demonsrate t

NOTE : this rule applies only to verbs. The exceptions are mostly modern coinings, e.g. 'hospitaize l 'characte ize r 'regula ize r Notice also that English verbs of 2 syllable (not 3) ending in ATE/ -IZE/ -FY have their main stress on the last syllable . E.g. in'flate sur'prise bap'tize de'fy. Exercise on stress-pattern of the following words ( with figures /2,1,0/). WORD STRESS PATTERN WORD STRESS PATTERN Photograph photographic capitalize circulation annoy Negotiate grammar grammarian supervision Colonial political Arithmetic postmen Possibility communicate Communication courageous Conspicuous educated Objective objectivity Impatience comedy Comedian picturesque Volunteer electrify electric electricity Electrification inferiority Portuguese appetite 7. LIST OF COMMON WEAK ENDINGS. WEAK ENDINGS -- ED (verbal) -- ING (verbal) -- LESS ( adjectival) --NESS (nouns) -- SHIP EXAMPLES Contemplated Indicating Penniless Happiness Friendship

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-- WARD(S) -- LIKE -- HOOD -- DOM -- FUL -- ESS --WAYS -- WISE --SOME (adj.) -- ER/OR -- ISH (adjectival) -- LET -- ISM -- IST -- Y --LY (adverbial)

Southward(s) Ladylike Brotherhood Kingdom Respectful Actress Sideways Gentlewise Troublesome Contributor / Selfish Booklet Abolitionism Archaeologist Speedy Comfortably

geographer

Note: When we add one or more weak endings to a base word the place of the main stress remains the same (i.e. no stress-shift). EXERCISE: Supply the stress pattern of the following words, paying attention to suffixes. WORDS STRESS PATTERN WORDS STRESS PATTERN harmlessly Cultivating respectfully Constitutionally considerable Domesticated advantageously Professorship supportable Pitifully gentlemanlike Statesmanship delivery Loathsome consciously Wisdom In a sequence of two strong endings, it is the last strong ending which controls the position of the main stress. e.g. e'lecric + ity t e lec'tricity

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