Stress in language, a crucial element in English, serves as a fundamental means of unifying sequences of words into a coherent whole and highlighting one syllable in the speech flow against others. This study delves into the distinctions between verbal and phrasal stress in the context and English linguistics, exploring the pragmatic aspects and aiming to prevent and rectify common errors in the English speech.
Verbal stress functions as a phonetic mechanism, consolidating a word into a singular entity. This unifying role is achieved by emphasizing one syllable within the word (the stressed syllable), which, in turn, subordinates the other syllables (unstressed) [1, p. 151]. This stress serves as a cornerstone for pronunciation and effective communication.
Phrasal stress, on the other hand, refers to the prominence of words within an utterance. It organizes speech, forms the basis of the rhythmic structure of a phrase, and highlights the semantic center of a sentence. Stress, a remarkably complex phenomenon, has various approaches, including those from British, and American linguistics, both in terms of typology and its multifaceted functions.
Analyzing stress in comparable languages involves examining several typological features. Here are some key aspects:
Nature of Stress: Stress in both languages is primarily dynamic, determined by the force of breath. However, English stress predominantly features a height component [1, p. 151].
Placement of Stress: English significantly differs in the placement of stress within words. English stress is more consistent and less variable, often falling on the initial syllable.
Quality of Stress: English exhibits a distinct secondary stress in multisyllabic words, often on the second or third syllable from the end.
Functional Aspects of Stress: Stress in English separates words belonging to different parts of speech. Recognizing these distinctions is vital for learners, particularly in scientific and technical contexts where complex terms with morphological structures are prevalent.
English stress can be considered typologically as more constant and less flexible, since the vast majority of English two- and three-syllable words have stress on the initial syllable: ‘suphate, ‘alkane, ‘purity. The stress, as a rule, remains on the same syllable if word-forming affixes are added to the root morpheme: ‘nature – ‘natural, ‘power – ‘powerful.
However, this rule is not absolute, and we can find numerous exceptions to it in scientific vocabulary: ‘atom – a’tomic, ‘carbon – car’bonic, ‘industry – in’dustrial.
A feature of the English accentuation system is that it has a clearly expressed secondary stress in polysyllabic words (with more than four syllables), in which the main stress falls on the second or third syllable from the end of the word: ,evo’lution, ,interference, ,solubili’zation, ,decom’pose. The secondary stress usually occurs on the second or third syllable from the main one. This property of secondary stress is associated with the rhythmic nature of the alternation of stressed and unstressed syllables in an English word and phrase.
The presence of secondary stress in the English language serves as a source of constant and persistent errors in the rhythmic and melodic design of English utterances by foreigners. Thus, pronunciation of polysyllabic terms such as electrochemical, spectrographic, indivisibility, etc. only with the main stress distorts both the sound appearance of the word and the rhythm of the phrase.
In English, stress serves as a means of distinguishing between two words belonging to different parts of speech. In nouns, the stress usually falls on the first, and in verbs – on the second syllable: ‘increase – in’crease, ‘import – im’port. In scientific and technical texts, such pairs of words are quite frequent and this rule should be well understood.
The accentual structures of words are often in a certain connection with the morphological type and structure of the word. This is especially important for us: in English terminology there are many words with a complex morphological structure. Suffixes and prefixes influence the stress of a word and complicate its accent structure. E.g. ‘solvable – sol’vation – in’soluble.
Understanding the nuanced aspects of stress in English enables learners to navigate potential pitfalls in pronunciation and rhythm. This pragmatic approach, rooted in typological analysis, contributes to more accurate and effective English speech. By acknowledging the subtleties of stress patterns, language learners can enhance their communicative competence and fluency, mitigating interference from their native language.
References
- Bondarko, A. V. (1997). Introduction to English Linguistics. Moscow.