Syllables
How many syllables are there?
go
kitchen
syllable
chocolate
comfortable
different
  /
        
     .  
       
   .  
     .   

Syllables
A syllable is a group of one or more sounds. The
essential part of a syllable is a vowel sound.
If a word has more than one syllable, you give stress
to one of the syllables.

STRESS
•
STRESS IN SIMPLE WORDS
•
STRESS IN COMPLEX WORDS

SIMPLE WORDS VS.
COMPLEX WORDS
•

syllable in a word in speech
(Source: A course in phonetics, Peter Ladefoged)
Eg: GOing /'g@UIÎ/
phoTOgrapher /f@'tÁgr@f@/

TRANSCRIPTION
Place a vertical line (') high up just
before the syllable it relates to.
Eg: open /'@Up@n/
determine /dI'tÆ:mKn/

CHARACTERISTIC
Two ways of approaching stress

Production
What the speaker does in producing stress
syllables.

Perception
What characteristics of sound make a syllable
seem to be stressed to listeners.

PRODUCTION OF STRESS

The speakers use more muscular
energy to pronounce stress syllable
than for unstressed ones.

The muscles that we use to expel air
from the lungs are more active  create

Often presented with a vertical line high up (') before
the stressed syllable
Eg: around /@'raUnd/
disaster /dI'zA:st@/

Secondary stress

Weaker than primary stress

Stronger than unstressed syllable

Often presented with a low mark (")

Eg: disapprove /"dIs@'pru:v/
anthropology /"{nTr@'pÁl@dZi/

Placement of stress within
words
In order to decide on the stress placement, it is necessary
to make use of some or all of the following information.
a. Whether the word is morphologically simple or
complex. (whether the word is a simple, derived or
compound word).
b. The grammatical category to which the word belongs.
c. The number of syllables in the word.
d. The phonological structure of the word.

Simple word stress
1. Two syllable words
a. Verbs