The influence of rhythm on word stress and utterance stress.

Alongside with regularity of stresses another important feature of English rhythm is alternation of stressed and unstressed syllables. This tendency may be accounted mostly for a high frequency of monosyllabic notional words (usually stressed) and intervening form-words (unstressed). The alternation of one stressed and one unstressed syllables occurs but rarely, as in the following example:

e.g.:  I ‘can’t |be‘lieve |my`eyes. 

The ratio of stressed and unstressed syllables may be one to two, one to three, or even more,

e.g.: They’re ‘leaving |to’morrow |by `air. 

The ‘car is |more con‘venient |than the `train.

The cases of consecutive stressing are rare due to the active tendency of alternation. This tendency results in modifying even the “normal” stressing of notional words in an utterance. Stressable words can lose their prominence if the immediately following and preceding words are stressed,

e.g.: She’s a ‘very good `actress. But She’s a ‘good `actress.

The tendency to alternate strong and week syllables accounts for making two syllables prominent in many English polysyllabic words,

e.g.:,abso’lutely, e,xami’ nation,,conver’sation,,demo’cratic.

In connected speech, however, the stress placement may be conditioned by the influence of rhythm, and one of the stressed can be dropped completely,

e.g.: The ‘girl looked ‘absolutely `lovely. 

 The conver’sation lasted for ‘two `hours.

 

Speech Exercises

Ex.1 Read the nursery rhymes with very different rhythms. ( ‘ ) stands for any stressed syllable. Why does rhythm vary from one rhyme to another?

a) ‘Jack and ‘Jill went ‘up the ‘hill

   To ‘fetch a ‘pail of ‘wa-‘ter.

   ‘Jack ‘fell ‘down and ‘broke his ‘crown,

   And ‘Jill came ‘tumbling ‘af-‘ter.

 

b)      A ‘farmer went ‘trotting u‘pon his grey ‘mare

    ‘Bumpety, ‘bumpety, ‘bump;

     With his ‘daughter be’hind him, so ‘rosy and ‘fair,

     ‘Lumpety, ‘lumpety, ‘lump.

 

c) ‘Hey diddle ‘doubt, my ‘candle’s ‘out, my ‘little maid’s ‘not at ‘ home.

     ‘Saddle my ‘hog, and ‘bridle my ‘dog, and ‘fetch my ‘little maid ‘home.

 

Ex. 2 Try reading the phrases out. These are groups of different lengths which should take the same amount of time to say.

Table 4

one one and one and a one and then a

two two and two and a two and then a

three three and three and a three and then a

four four four four

 

Four groups of words of similar difficulty:

Table 5

a a a de-

nice lovely licious and

ripe juicy mouth-wat(e)ring

pear melon pineapple

 

And another three groups, rather more difficult:

Table 6

his his an out-

new latest standing contri-

book’s novel’s a dis- bution to con-

quite tinct suc- temporary

good cess lit(e)rature

Ex.3 Read the extended utterances, keeping regular rhythm throughout each stess-group.

a)

A street.                                              

A busy street.

A busy straight street.

A busy straight central street.   

 

b)

A hat.   

A straw hat.

A dirty straw hat.

A very dirty straw hat.

 

c)

A chair. 

A wooden chair. 

Granny’s wooden chair. 

Granny’s favourite wooden chair.

 

d)

A telephone.

A public telephone.

Two public telephones.

Two new public telephones.

 

e)

A square.                                               

Red Square.

Red Square in Moscow.

Red Square in the centre of Moscow.     

 

f)

Traffic.

Street traffic.

A heavy street traffic.

A very heavy street traffic.

Ex.4 Read out the sentences below making sure the rhythmic groups take the same length of time.

a) My friend                  sent for the doctor.

   My friend has           sent for the doctor.

      My friend should have sent for the doctor.

 

b) Mark                         took the train to London.

   Mark has                  taken     the train to London.

   Mark must have        taken    the train to London.

 

c) Michael                 bought a        book.

   Michael has          bought me a  book.

   Michael could have bought me a  book.

 

d) He writes                 letters each      Sunday.

   He writes his           letters each      Sunday.

   He writes her a        letter each       Sunday.

 

e) It’s time to                     start.

   It’s time for me to          start.

   Its’ time for the project to start