Pronunciation V5 part 2

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 5

Pronunciation

V5 English

Index

1. Syllables

2. Word stress

Syllables

syllable (noun): a unit of pronunciation that has one vowel sound, and may or may not be surrounded by consonants. A syllable can form a whole word or part of a word. For example, there is one syllable in cat, two syllables in monkey and three syllables in elephant.

How many syllables in: green, quite, quiet, orange, unrealistic, unexceptional?

What is word stress?

In English, we do not say each syllable with the same force or strength. In one word, we accentuate ONE syllable. We say one syllable very loudly (big, strong, important) and all the other syllables very quietly.

photograph / photographer / photographic

What is word stress?

The syllables that are not stressed are weak or small or quiet. Fluent speakers of English listen for the STRESSED syllables, not the weak syllables. If you use word stress in your speech, you will instantly and automatically improve your pronunciation and your comprehension.

2 rules:

1. One word, one stress. (One word cannot have two stresses. So if you hear two stresses, you have heard two words, not one word.)

2. The stress is always on a vowel.

Why is word stress important?

1. word stress is NOT OPTIONAL in English.

2. Fluent English speakers use word stress to communicate rapidly and accurately, even in difficult conditions. If, for example, you do not hear a word clearly, you can still understand the word because of the position of the stress.

Word stress rules

There are some, rather complicated, rules that can help you understand where to put the stress. But do not rely on them too much, because there are many exceptions. It is better to try to "feel" the music of the language and to add the stress naturally.

A. Stress on first syllable

1. Most 2-syllable nouns.

PRESent, EXport, CHIna, TAble

2. Most 2-syllable adjectives.

PRESent, SLENder, CLEVer, HAPpy

B. Stress on last syllable

1. Most 2-syllable verbs.

preSENT, exPORT, deCIDE, beGIN

Change of meaning and class

"PRESENT"

-> stress on first syllable = gift/opposite of absent (noun/adjective)

-> stress on second syllable = to offer (verb)

Other examples:

export, import, contract, object 

"Invalid"
IN-va-lid

1. invalide
2. ongeldig

"content"
con-TENT

1. inhoud
2. tevreden

"Entrance"
en-TRANCE

1. toegang
2. in verrukking brengen

"Refuse"
REF-use

1. zelfstandig naamwoord
2. werkwoord

"Console"
con-SOLE

1. zelfstandig naamwoord
2. werkwoord

C. Stress on penultimate syllable (penultimate = second from end)

1. Word ending in -ic.

GRAPHic, geoGRAPHic, geoLOGic

2. Words ending in -sion and -tion.

teleVIsion, reveLAtion

However...

For a few words, native English speakers don't always "agree" on where to put the stress. For example, some people say teleVIsion and others say TELevision. Another example is: CONtroversy and conTROversy.

D. Stress on ante-penultimate syllable (ante-penultimate = third from end)

1. Words ending in -cy, -ty, -phy and -gy.

deMOcracy, dependaBIlity, phoTOgraphy, geOLogy

2. Words ending in -al

CRItical, geoLOGical

E. Compound words (words with two parts)

1. For compound nouns, the stress is on the first part.

BLACKbird, GREENhouse

2. For compound adjectives, the stress is on the second part

bad-TEMpered, old-FASHioned

3. For compound verbs, the stress is on the second part

underSTAND, overFLOW

"Antarctic"
Southern pole

1. ANT-ahrk-tik
2. ant-AHRK-tik
3. ant-ahrk-TIK

"Asterisk"
typographical symbol

1. AS-tuh-risk
2. as-TUH-risk
3. as-tuh-RISK

"Comfortable"
relaxing

1. KUHM-fer-tuh-buh l
2. kuhm-FER-tuh-buh l
3. kuhm-fer-TUG-buh l
4. kuhm-fer-tuh-BUH L

"Anathema"
Someone or something is intensely disliked.

1. UH-nath-uh-muh
2. uh-NATH-uh-muh
3. uh-nath-UH-muh
4. uh-nath-uh-MUH

"Exponentially"
something's increasing quickly by large amounts.

1. EK-spoh-nen-shuh lee
2. ek-SPOH-nen-shuh lee
3. ek-spoh-NEN-shuh lee
4. ek-spoh-nen-shuh LEE

"Ignominious"
synonym for dishonorable or despicable

1. IG-nuh-min-ee-uh s
2. ig-NUH-min-ee-uh s
3. ig-nuh-MIN-ee-uh s
4. ig-nuh-min-EE-uh s

"Antidisestablishmentarianism"
being opposed to the withdrawal of state support from an established church

1. AN-tee-dis-uh-stab-lish-muh n-tair-ee-uh-niz-uh-m
2. an-tee-DIS-uh-stab-lish-muh n-tair-ee-uh-niz-uh-m
3. an-tee-dis-uh-STAB-lish-muh n-tair-ee-uh-niz-uh-m
4. an-tee-dis-uh-stab-lish-muh n-TAIR-ee-uh-niz-uh-m