Word Stress, syllabic consonants

Question 1

Stress

Answer 1

Stress refers to the relative prominence of a syllable

Question 2

Primary Stress

Answer 2

’ in front of a syllable marks primary stress
> indicates primary stress for words with more than one syllable

Question 3

Secondary Stress

Answer 3

, in front of a syllable marks secondary stress
> only indicate if asked specifically

Question 4

Name four phonetic variables that indicate stress!

Answer 4

1. intensity perceived as loudness
2. pitch variety
3. vowel quality
4. vowel duration

Question 5

Syllable

Answer 5

Syllables are rhythmic units in speech

Question 6

Structure of the syllable

Answer 6

A Syllable consists of different parts:
1. onset (consonant in front of the nucleus)
2. rhyme (nucleus+coda)
> nucleus/peak ((usually) the vowel)
> coda (consonants after the nucleus)

=> the nucleus is the only obligatory part of the syllable

Question 7

Classification of syllables

Answer 7

> strong/heavy syllables
weak/light syllables

Question 8

Strong/Heavy Syllables

Answer 8

short monophthong + coda (no /ə, i, u/)
> only strong syllables can receive stress

Question 9

Weak/Light Syllables

Answer 9

> /ə/ + coda
short monophthong or unstressed /i, u,/ as nucleus and empty coda

=> syllables with a schwa as their nucleus are never stressed

Question 10

Syllabic consonants

Answer 10

> sometimes a vowel is dropped (usually schwa)
=> consonant becomes the centre of the syllable