Lectures 6-Stress in Complex Words Prefixes 1

Mohamed Kheider University of Biskra__Section of English__Second Year LMD__Phonetics

STRESS PLACEMENT IN COMPLEX WORDS Stress in Prefixes & Neutral Suffixes

Lectures 6:

Itroduction: Up to this point, we have considered stress placement in simple words consisting of a single stem. In the following courses, we shall examine the stress placement in complex words, which comprises of a prefix + stem + one or more suffixes.

I- Stress assignment on prefixes: In the words containing prefixes such as: a-, ab- , an- , co- ,de-, dis- , im-, in-, re-, unthe primary stress mostly doesn’t fall on the prefix but on one of the stem syllables.

Examples

Prefixes

Aside /əˈsaɪd/ , Aback /əˈbæk/ aAbnormal /æbˈnɔːməl/, Absolve / əbˈzɒlv / abAnachronism /əˈnækrənɪ , Anomaly / əˈnɒməli / anCooperative /kəʊˈɒp ətɪv/, Cohabit /kəʊˈhæbɪt/ codeDemotivate /diːˈməʊtɪveɪt /, Decode / diːˈkəʊd / disDislike /dɪˈslaɪk/, Disagree /dɪsəˈgriː/, Dispatch dɪˈspatʃ Impossible /ɪmˈpɒsə /, immortal / ɪˈmɔːt /, imprison / ɪmˈprɪ / imIntoxicate /ɪnˈtɒksɪkeɪt /, Invaluable /ɪnˈvæljʊb  / inreResource ɪˈ ɔːs/, ɪˈsɔːs/, Reorder /riːˈɔːdə , Rearrange /riːəˈ eɪ dʒ Uncertain ʌ ˈsɜːt , Unfaithful /ʌnˈfeɪθf /, unThere are many exceptions in English because of the vastness of the language. Thus, stress placement in complex words is not always predictable; however, the rules do work mostly. E.g: Impotent /

/

II- Stress in Suffix Words: Unlike prefixes, it is possible for a suffix to change the original pronunciation –stress placement- of the word stem when they are affixed. This depends on whether the suffix is stress-neutral, stress-attracting or pre-stressed.

2.1. Stress-neutral suffixes:

:

In some words containing stress-neutral (stress-fixing) suffixes which do ’t change the pronunciation

of

the

word

stem

and

do

not

influence

stress

placement:

(-able, -age, -ance, -ant , -dom, -ed, -er, -ern, -ful,-hood, -ing, -ish (adj), -ism, -ist, -less, -like, -ly, -man, -ment, -ness, -or, -s , -ship, -some, -wards, -wise).

Stress-fixing Suffix -able / -ible (adj) -age (adj) -ance / -ence (n) -ant / -ent (n)

Examples Considerable /kənˈsɪd əb /, Unavoidable /ʌnəˈvɔɪdəb / ,Visible/ˈvɪzɪb / Percentage /pəˈsentɪdʒ/ , Marriage /ˈmærɪdʒ/, Passage /ˈpæsɪdʒ/ Difference / /, Referene / / Reluctant / rɪˈlʌkt t /,Commandment / /

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-dom -ern

(n) (adj)

Martyrdom , Wisdom /ˈwɪzdəm/ , Kingdom /ˈkɪŋdəm/ Western /ˈwest /, Eastern /ˈiːst / , Northern /ˈnɔːsðən/ , Intern /ˈɪntɜːn/

-ed -er / -ar -ful

(v) (n) (adj)

Adapted /əˈdæptɪd/, Reasoned /ˈriː d , Condemned /kənˈdemd/ Interpreter /ɪnˈtɜːprɪtə/ , Commander /kəˈmɑːndə/ , Scholar /ˈskɒlə/ Sorrowful /ˈsɒrəʊfʊl/ , Beautiful /ˈbjuːtɪf , Merciful /ˈmɜːsɪfʊl -f(ə)l/

-hood (n) -ing (gerund) -ism (n) -ish (adj) -ist (adj) -less (adj) -like (adj) -ly (adv) -man (n) -ment (n) -ness (n) -or (n) -s (n/v) -ship (n) -some (adj) -ward(s) (adj, adv) -wise (adj)

Brotherhood/ˈbrʌðəhʊd/,Adulthood/ˈædʌlthʊd/,Neighborhood/ˈneɪbəhʊd/

Educating /ˈedjʊkeɪtɪŋ/, Interesting/ˈɪnt estɪŋ/ ,Consisting /kənˈsɪstɪŋ/ Alcoholism /ˈælkəhɒlɪz /, Communism /ˈkɒmjʊnɪ Childish /ˈtʃaɪldɪʃ/, Swedish /ˈswiːdɪʃ/ , Womanish /ˈwʊmənɪʃ/ Journalist /ˈdʒɜːnəlɪst/, Physicist /ˈfɪzɪsɪst/ , Specialist /ˈspeʃəlɪst/ Bottomless /ˈbɒtəmləs/, Defenseless /dɪˈfensləs/ , Penniless/ /ˈpenɪlɪs/ Autumn-like/ˈɔːtəmlaɪk/,Businesslike/ˈbɪznɪslaɪk/, Native-like/ˈneɪtɪvlaɪk/ Carelessly /ˈkeələsli/, Apparently /əˈpærəntli/ , Rapidly /ˈræpɪdli/ Policeman /pəˈli:smən/ , Fireman /ˈfaɪəmən/ , Businessman /ˈbɪznɪsmən/ Development /dɪˈveləpmənt/, Accompaniment /əˈkʌmpənɪmənt/ Tenderness /ˈtendənəs/, Greatness /ˈgreɪtnəs/, Quietness /ˈkwaɪətnəs/ Director /dɪˈ-, daɪˈrektə /, Survivor / səˈvaɪvə/, Instructor /ɪnˈstrʌktə/ Images/ˈɪmɪdʒɪz/, Advances/ədˈvɑːnsɪz/, Forests/ˈfɒrɪsts/, Damns /ˈdæmz/ Censorship/ˈsensəʃɪp/,Dictatorship/dɪkˈteɪtəʃɪp/, Sponsorship /ˈspɒnsəʃɪp/ Adventuresome, Quarrelsome /ˈkwɒr səm/, Venturesome /ˈventʃəsəm/ Backward /ˈbækwəd/, Southwards /ˈsaʊθwədz/ , Forward /ˈfɔːwəd/ Otherwise /ˈʌðəwaɪz/, Cornerwise /ˈkɔː əwaɪz/ , Clockwise /ˈklɒkwaɪz/

Time for practice: Exercise 1: Marks the dtress in the following complex words Considerable /kənsɪdrəb / ; Comfortable /kʌmfətəb  / ; Orphanage /ɔːfənɪdʒ/ ; Assistance /əsɪstəns/ ; Allowance ə aʊə s ; Defiance dɪfaɪə s ; Demonstrated /demənstreɪtɪd/ ; Servant /sɜːv t/ ; Freedom /friːdəm/ ; Difference /dɪf əns/ ; Believer /bɪliːvə/ ; Northern /nɔːðən/ ; Southern / sʌðən/ ; Frightful /fraɪtf / ; Fatherhood /fɑːðəhʊd/ ; /prɪpeəring/ ;

Preparing

Eleventh /ɪlevə θ ; Happily /hæpɪli/ ; Fearlessly /fɪə əsli/ ; Clarity /klærɪti/ ;

Uselessness /juːsləsnəs/ ; Amendment əˈ e d ə t ; Elitist /ɪliːtɪst/ ; Heroism /herəʊɪ Babyish / eɪ ɪɪʃ ; Frozen /f əʊ / ; Gentleman /dʒent

;

ən/ ; Afterwards /ɑːftəwədz/ ;

Instructor /ɪnstrʌktə/ ; Troublesome / trʌb səm/ ; Upward /ʌpwəd/ ; Otherwise / ʌðəwaɪz/ ; Research / riːs3ːtʃ /.

Exercise 2: Transcribe the following words phonemically and put the stress 1. The lenses filter out the harmful rays. /……………………………………………………………………………. / 2. Our computers are completely wireless annexed? /………………..……………………………………………. / 3. Supper will be ready a ou d seve o’c ock! /…….………..……………………………………………………… / 4. ‘Va da ism hits neighbourhood’ /……..……………….…………..………………………………………. / 6. He’s ow i vo ved in literary criticism. /…………………………………………………………..………………. / 7. Be ever vigilant but never suspicious. /…………...……….……………………………………..………………. / 8. Friendship remains a faithful anchor. /…………...……….……………………………………..………………. /

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