Realization of Word Stress in Speech
Word stress shows a potential ability of a syllable to be stressed in speech, thus, to gain utterance stress. Yet, not all syllables carrying word stress achieve utterance stress. For example, function words are frequently unstressed in an utterance; notional words, if they don't carry new information, lose their prominence and become unstressed in an utterance. So, not all the syllables carrying word stress achieve utterance stress but utterance stress always coincides with word stress.
One of the reasons for single-stressed notional words to become unstressed in speech is mentioned above: it is the novelty of information.
Example: 'Jack is a mu\sician. He plays the 'piano and the \violin.
Another reason for notional words to become unstressed is the peculiarity of the English rhythm called isochrony – a tendency for stressed syllables to occur at approximately equal periods of time. It leads to a certain alternation of stressed and unstressed elements in an utterance.
Example: It's a 'nice little 'weekend \cottage. – The underlined elements are not prominent.
The influence of rhythm on word stress is especially obvious in double-stressed words in which one of the word stresses may not be realized as a full utterance stress making this syllable non-prominent.
In this respect there is a functional (phonological) difference between primary and secondary word stresses: the difference lies in their ability to bear the nuclear stress in an utterance – the primary word stress achieves the nuclear utterance stress when the word is pronounced as a one-word sentence. If the secondary stress is before the primary one than it can also achieve full utterance stress either under the influence of rhythm or for special semantic emphasis [9], yet it is unlikely to become the nucleus of an intonation group.
Let's consider the realization of each word stress pattern individually.
1. The influence of rhythm on double-stressed words with two primary stresses.
Under the influence of rhythm either of the two primary stresses in such words can become less prominent than the other one. Yet, remember that the quality of the vowel in potentially stressed syllables is always full despite the degree of utterance stress. Thus, none of the stresses is completely lost – it is at least partially stressed in an utterance.
Listen and compare:
The \tiger ¦ was |fully-\GROWN. but: It was a 'FULLY-·grown \tiger.
The \prices ¦ were |sky-\HIGH. but: They were 'SKY-·high \prices.
'Next \month ¦ she’ll be |six\TEEN. but: It |cost 'SIX·teen \euros.
Shall I 'WRITE ·down the \/number for you?
but: A: I 'can’t re·member 'Trudi’s a\ddress.
B: 'Why didn’t you 'WRITE it \DOWN?
The reason why both word stresses in such words are marked as primary in this book (unlike many dictionaries) is that both of them can be pronounced with a nuclear tone in speech under the influence of rhythm[3; 4; 5].
Compare:
She 'says she is \eigh|teen. 'This is 'lab ·eigh\teen.
She is 'rather ·light-\headed. They 'say she is \light-|headed.
Note that in phrasal verbs the vowel quality in the postpositions is never reduced even if they are not prominent.
Listen and compare the pronunciation of the preposition at when it is non-prominent (1) and prominent (2). The vowel quality should be full in both cases. Note that this preposition at the end of an intonation group is normally partially stressed and becomes prominent only to show some special emphasis.
1. A: I suppose your parents are quite well-off?
B: What are you \driving |at?
2. A: All you’ve got to do is aim and fire.
B: But I don’t know what to 'aim \at.
Exercise 1 Compound adjectives.
Exercise 2 Compound numerals.
Exercise 3 Phrasal verbs.
Exercise 4* Phrasal verbs.
Exercise 5* Phrasal verbs.
2. The influence of rhythm on double-stressed words with a secondary stress preceding primary.
The secondary word stress in such words can be realized as a full stress in an utterance, yet it is unlikely to become nuclear. The syllable with a primary stress can be pronounced either with a nuclear utterance stress or a full prenuclear stress or a partial stress depending on rhythm. Note that in these words one of the syllables carrying word stress is always more prominent in speech than the other one – they are never equally stressed.
Listen and compare:
She’s |Japa\nese. but: She’s a 'Japa·nese \journalist.
He’s a |refu\gee. but: We saw 'photos of 'refu·gee \children.
The same is true about words with meaningful prefixes. Either of the stressed syllables can become more prominent than the other one under the influence of rhythm.
Listen and compare:
Her \answer ¦ was |impre\cise. but: She |gave an 'impre·cise \answer.
He’s |hype\ractive. but: I 'work with 'hyper·active \children.
He |disa\greed. but: He 'disa·greed \strongly.
Note that meaningful prefixes can carry a nuclear utterance stress to show special semantic prominence.
Listen and focus on the pronunciation of the meaningful prefixes which acquire a nuclear utterance stress.
1. A: Would it be a wise investment?
B: No, I think it would be very \unwise.
2. A: I suppose it’s legal to bring alcohol into the country?
B: No, it’s completely \illegal.
3. A: Did it take long to pack your case?
B: Ages, but it won’t take long to \unpack it.
4. A: Did your teacher encourage you to do the math course?
B: No, she tried to \discourage me from doing it.
3. The influence of rhythm on double-stressed words with a primary stress preceding secondary (compound nouns).
Rhythm does not affect the position of utterance stress in compound nouns. The full (or nuclear) utterance stress always falls on the syllable carrying the primary word stress which is the first stem in compound nouns.
Example: The 'time-·table is un\changed.
'Look at the \time-|table.