Word stress

Phonology and Phonetics

1. Sound of Letters:
A Seminar on Phonology &
Phonetics
Presenter:
Cinderella C. Bañares

2. Presenter:
Cinderella C. Bañares

3. First, let’s
have an
activity!
Direction: Use any of the following
words in a sentence.
REcord reCORD
PLEAsant CEremony

4. Back
ground
The variation in the level of
energy and length is called stress
or accent, an important feature in
oral communication.
 Without this variation our speech
becomes monotonous,
sometimes, unintelligible.

5. Back
ground
 The primary stress is the strongest
stress.
Two successive primary stresses
never occur in a single word.
Ex: PLEA sant HA ppiness
philoSO’phical
FOUR LEVELS OF STRESS

6. Back
ground
 The secondary stress is less
stressful than the primary, as in
e’conomical, while the primary
stress falls on the third syllable.

7. Back
ground
 The tertiary stress is the medium stress
that is heard in words like understand,
ashtray, where the tertiary stress falls
on the first and the last syllable of the
words, respectively.
Examples:
Personal pronouns I, you, he, she, etc.,
Short prepositions (to, in, at, etc.)
Auxiliary verbs (is, am, must will, etc.) are
normally given tertiary stress.

8. Back
ground
 The tertiary stress is the medium stress
that is heard in words like understand,
ashtray, where the tertiary stress falls
on the first and the last syllable of the
words, respectively.
Examples:
Personal pronouns I, you, he, she, etc.,
Short prepositions (to, in, at, etc.)
Auxiliary verbs (is, am, must will, etc.) are
normally given tertiary stress.

9. Back
ground
 The weak stress is the least forceful
of the four levels of stress. Syllables
spoken with weak stress are limited
to the schwa, the short /I/ and
the / / and / / sounds.
ɝ ɚ

10. Words
with the
primary
stress on
the FIRST
SYLLABLE
accuracycomfortablemonastery noticeable
accent recognize irritable participle
arbitraryexecute literaturepedestal
caricatureeligible melancholypedagogy
catholiccemetery memorable plenary

11. Words
with the
primary
stress on
the
SECOND
SYLLABLE
abbreviatebrochureenamel utensils
accessorycashiercontributepercentage
administerviolinistgrimace inevitable
affiliatemeringueharanguesatiety
aluminumcolloquialtattoo semester

12. Words
with the
primary
stress on
the THIRD
SYLLABLE
aboriginebeneficiarydeviation parliamentary
adolescentcafeteriadocumentarypenicillin
antecedentcircumventguarantee persevere
apropos coalitionmachinationresumé
attaché democraticparalytic therapeutic

13. Words with
the
primary
stress on
the
FOURTH
SYLLABLE
abbreviationalleviationdenunciationperpetuation
accentuationappreciationenunciationrepatriation
administrationappropriationevacuationrepudiation
affiliationassociationnegotiationrealization

14. SOME
WORDS OF
TWO
SYLLABLES
WHICH
SHOULD BE
ACCENTED
ON THE
FIRST
SYLLABLE
demon ruthlesslengthwisedamsel
genius stewardbanquetduly
legion bureauprefacegesture
sequel fury record gorgeous
whisperbury athletesonnet

15. SOME
WORDS OF
TWO
SYLLABLES
WHICH
SHOULD BE
ACCENTED
ON THE
SECOND
SYLLABLE
blasphem
e
enduremishap severe
fatiguefaçade absurd garage
genteeldemureinsane record
receiptado allied accept

16. SOME
WORDS OF
THREE
SYLLABLES
WITH THE
PRIMARY
ACCENT ON
THE FIRST
SYLLABLE
AND NO
SECONDARY
ACCENT
architectgrocerygenuine adjective
artisancemeterypedestalmitigate
chocolatevehicleamicablelegendary
dominatedynastyreservoirmetaphor

17. WORDS OF
THREE
SYLLABLES
WHICH
HAVE THE
PRIMARY
ACCENT ON
THE SECOND
SYLLABLE
AND NO
SECONDARY
ACCENT
assassindigestioncomplacentlieutenant
empower authenticlocationcollision
celestialeruptionabsorptionvolcano
encircleelectricancestralsuspended

18. FOUR
SYLLABLE
WORDS
WITH THE
ACCENT
ON THE
SECOND
SYLLABLE
WITH NO
SEONDARY
ACCENT
dexterityexecutiveabdominalerroneous
lasciviousexperimen
t
unanimousembroidery
illiteratekilometermetropolisalternative
constituentperpetuatepotassiumunscrupulo
us

19.  FOUR
SYLLABLE
WORDS WITH
THE PRIMARY
ACCENT ON
THE THIRD
SYLLABLE
WIUTH A
SECONDARY
ACCENT ON
THE FIRST
SYLLABLE
prepositionapostolicphilosophicoperation
sentimentalaccusationexcavationdeclamation
prohibitioncontributiontribulationaffidavit
compensatio
n
beneficialprovocationperturbation

20.  FIVE
SYLLABLE
WORDS WITH
THE PRIMARY
ACCENT ON
THE THIRD
SYLLABLE
WITH A
SECONDARY
ACCENT ON
THE FIRST
SYLLABLE
intermediat
e
indescribabl
e
imperceptibleequatorial
architecturalimmemorialmetamorphosi
s
periodical
animosityinaccessibl
e
curiosity theological

21. FOUR
SYLLABLE
WORDS WITH
THE PRIMARY
ACCENT ON
THE FIRST
SYLLABLE
WITH A
SECONDARY
ACCENT ON
THE THIRD
SYLLABLE
mediatorpurgatorykindergartenadversary
cultivatorintegrativecommentarystationary
architectur
e
dysenterysalamanderlegislative

22. What’s next?
It’s time to practice! 

23. Word
accurate
arbitrary
amicable
associate
benefit
bureau
cliché
colleague
compare

24. Word
eligible
exemplary
delicacy
determine
document
elementary
inevitable
genuine
honor

25. Word
indigent
integral
interfere
intimate
irrevocable
irritable
memory
secondary
participate

26. Word
satisfy
subsequent
unanimous
valuable
cemetery
semester
plenary
tattoo
attaché
International Phonetic Alphabet