LIVING ENGLISH

SPEECH
STRESS AND INTONATION PRACTICE FOR
THE FOREIGN STUDENT

By
W. STANNARD ALLEN, B.A. (LOND.)

LONGMANS
 APPENDIX II
Syllable Stress

The accentuation of long words is very irregular in

English and is a constant source of trouble to the student.
lt is not possible to give any certain rules for the position
of the stress in longer words, but the following hints and
generalizations may be of help.
N.B.-Accents in this appendix refer to stress only, not
intonation.
1. Germanic compounds.
The stress almost always remains on tbe original root.
Exampks with suffixes:
ldrunkard, •speaker, llaughing-stock, lfishmongcr, lplay­
wright, 'hcathendom, •ncighbourhood, lcallousness,
lwonderful, loutward.
Examples with prefixes:
be lside, be 'wilder, fore •sce, misunder •stand, over­
lheatéd, un 'pleasant.
lmportant exceptions are:
to lward, lforeground, lforecast, 'forehead, 'upkeep,
lupbringing, and a few other nouns and adjectives with
/ore or up.
2. Classical compounds
The stress oí these is less casy to guess, but a few suflixes
make words of a pattern regular enough to be worth men­
tioning.
173
174 LIVING ENGLI.SH SPEECH
-ion, taking a stress on the preceding syllable.
oc lcasion, palvilion, per lsuasion, pro lmotion, calcu-
1Iation, etc.
Exceptions:
The scientific terms: lcation, lanion, (kietai:>n, lrenai:rn),
and ldandelion. -io11 is not a suffix in these words.
-ic( al), as above.
lcomic(al), falnatic(al), ltragic, ecolnomic(al), etc.
Six important exceptions are the words: 'catholic, iheretic,
IJunatic, l arabic, a 'rithmetic, 'rhetoric.
Note also the fol/owil,g 1101111-adjective pairs:
Jheretic, he l retical; 'rhetoric, rhe'torical¡ lpolitios,
po'litical; a'rithmetic, arith'metic(al).
The following two-sy/lahle suffi:ces almost always take a
stress on the syllable immediately preceding:
-ian, -ial, -cient, -ious, -eous, -ual, -uous, -ity, -ety,
-itous, -itive, -itude, -itant.
-ate, fJerbs only, three syllables or more, have antepenulti-
mate stress, i.e. third syllable from the end:
lagitate, ld· eviate, ap l preciate, e lvapotate, in lterpolate,
il IJuminate, etc.
Note: in•terrogate and inter'rogative.
-fy, fJerbs only, three syllables or more, as above:
petlsonify, lqualify, lstupefy, lglorify, lterrify, etc.
-ize(or-ise), verbJ only, three syllables or more, as ahove:
a lpologize, molnopofize, ljeopardize, lsubsidize, etc.
Exceptions are mostly modérn coinings, e.g. lregularize,
lcharacterize, and the very recent lhospitalize.
Note that verbs of two syllables under the last three
beadings have end-stress:
inlflate, surlpríse, bap ltize, delfy.
SYLLÁBLE STRESS 175
J· Antepenultimate stress
The long and rather uncommon word used in this pan­
graph heading literally "speaks for itself". Listen to it.
'Antepen-lultimate (strong-weak-weak, strong-weak-weak).
Tl1e stress is on the third syllable from the end, which
results in a classical dactylic rhythm (-uu ).
This stress and the rhythm that follows from it seetn to
suit the English language. If we remcmber that the suffix -ic
is also-ical, and that-tion,-Jjon ,. -sion, etc., were pronounced
as two syllables until at least the end of the se11entcenth
century, we shall find that antepenultimate stress is com­
mon to a very large proportion of words of more than three
syllables, excluding Germanic compounds (see Exercise 150).
Notice the large number of words in section 2 that have this
stress.
The tendency in the living language to change tbe stress
so that it ultimately falls into this position is a further
indfcation that the English find ít comfortable and natural
to say the words in this way. Here are a few examples of
this tendency at work.
(i) Words whose stress has moved one syllable back
within the last 80 years or so:
'blasphemous, lcontrary, lcharacter, 'quandary, 'bal­
cony, • 'pergola, lgondola, lcontemplate (cf. conltem­
plative), lmassacre, 'parasol (two syllables from para'sol).
(ii) Sorne words tbat have more recently adopted thís
str.ess:
Older form Newly establishedform
an lchovy [ren ltfouvi] lanchovy [lrentf;)VÍ]
allly (n.) [;¡llaí) lally (n.) [lreJai]
ab 'domen (a:b ldoumen) !abdomen (lrebd;)men]
com l bine (n.) (k:im'bain) l combine 1 ['k::,mbaín]
1 As 'business 1 colnbine· or 'combine •harvester.
176 LIVING BNGLJSH SPlll!CH SY LLABLl! STRESS 177
obli Igatory ( :,blilgeit:>ri) o 'bligatory f;¡ iblig.1triJ Ezerciae 146 (advanced vocabulary)
relcondite [ri'k:mdait) lrecondite [lrek:indait] Read awud each word of the folÚXJJing m¡uences two o,
'metallurgy ('met.lfa :d3i] meltallurgy [me l ta:l.1d3i] three times. Place a strong accent on the syllahle in bold
lnomenclature no lmenclature type and be careful to read othet syllahles in their unstresml
[ looum:,nkJeitJ:,J [nolmenkfat/:,] (weak) forms. (Look at the plzonetic tran.scription if you are
valgary [v.llg&.1ri) lvagary (lveig;,ri) in doubt.)
lcontroversy [ lk:,ntr.1v.1:si] con ltroversy fbn l tr:,�si]
politics / political / politicían
re I plica [re l pli :k:,] 1replica ['replik:,]
democrat / democracy / democratic
frag lmentary ffrreg 'menfari] lfragmentary [lfra:gm.1ntri]
personal / personify / personality
hypocrite / hypocrisy J hypocritical
[fr.lg lment:,ri]
pre l cedence fpri l si :d.lns) lprecedence ( l presid:,ns]
photograph / photographer / photograpbical
Both forms of sorne of the above are still to be heard. beneñt / beneficent / beneficia[
(iíi) Sorne words that are apparently in the procesa of mecbanism / mechanical J mechanician / mechanization
changing stress: -contemplate / contemplative / contemplation
Standard f orm Modern variant meteor / meteoric / meteorology / meterological
l
tra jectory [tr.l I d3ekt:,ri] ltrajectóry fltra:d3iktri] artífice / artificer f artificial / artificiality
l applicable [ l replik:,b)) ap fplicable [:, 'plibbl] antiquate / antiquity / antiquarian
lhospítable [ l h:,spitabl) hoslpitable fh:,slpit:>bl] íntellect / intelligence / intellectual / intelligentsia
'kilometre ['kifa1mi :t:>) ki l)ometre [Iti 11:,mit:>] family / familiar / familiarity
tra I chea ftr:, 1kfa] •trachea ('treikfaJ telegraph / telegraphy / telegrapbic
lexigency [leksid3:,nsi] ex l ígency fíg'zid.3:insi] philanthrop / philanthropist / philanthropical
etilquette [eti'ket] letiquette (letiket] particle J particular / particularity
pro 1jectile ( n.) (p�ld3ektail] fprojectile ( fpr:,d3:,kta.11J competence·/ competitor / competition
ob'durate [:,b ldju :nt] lobdurate [l:,bdjur<1t] diplomat / diplomacy J diplomatic
One might notice also the common change of stress when Phonetic guide to Exercue 146
two-syllable words grow into Ionger oíles: e.g. 1pclit!ks p:l1litikl p:,liltifn / ldeinokrret dilm:,k�si 1demo­
fpious-limpious-im l piety [ l pafas, limpfas, im•pai.1ti]. ,��u � / 1p:,:��n:,l p:, ls:,nifai p:, :s:i lnrelíti / lhipokrit hi lp:,k­
lthesis-an ltithesis ( l ei:sis, ren •tieisis]. ns1 h!Po1 knt1 kl / lfo �t:, ?ra :f falt, �r.lfi fout:,lgra:fikl ¡
. . .
lberufit b1 lnef1s;)nt beru •fiJI / lmek:,ruzm mi lkreníkl mek�
lpotent- 1impotent-om lnipotent [ lpout.int, limp:,t:,nt, 1 nifn ,rnebnailzeifn / lk:,nt.1mpleit bnltempl:itiv k:>nt:im­
:,m l nip:,t:,nt].
pleifn / li;ni :tfa mi :tí 1:,rik mi :tj:l I r.:,J:,d3i 1mi :tj:,r:,ll:,d3ikl
Here are sorne word-sequences to practíse this shü:ting / la :tifis a: l tifis;1 · 1 a :tí lfiJI 1o :tififi lre]iti / l;i:ntikweit ren'ti­
of the stress to the antepenultimate syllable. kwiti ienti1kwt.1rfan / lintilekt in ltelid3:>ns inti IJektju:ll
N
 L!'l/lNC ENGLISH SPEECH
1inteli l d3entsfa / l frem( i)li fa 'milj;i famili•.eriti / lteligra :f
ti l legrnfi 1teli ' gt::efik / l fifanerop fi•la:nernpist fifan ler:,píkl
/ l pa :tíkl p:i ltikjufa p:itikju 'lleriti / lk::,mpit:ins k:im l petit;i
bmpi l tifn / ldipl.imret di'ploum:isi (or di 'pl::,m;isi) dipl:i­
t mretik.
One final indication of the naturalness of this stress in
English can be seen in the very large number of long words
where this stress is placed on a syllable that completely
disguises the real meaning of the word. For instance, the
printed word "photogtapher" (see Exercise 146) ís perfectly
obvious to most foreigners whof know a European language.
Its pronunciation, however (o lt::,gr:ifa) Ieads their ears
to imagine a mysterious root called "tog", giving no clue
to the component parts of the word. Here is a number of
such "disguised" words for prnctice:
Exercise x47 (advanced vocabulary)
Read each of the following words three times, emphasú:i'ng
the stressed syllable in bold type.
mo•notonous, libe trality, te tlephonist, ;lUltonomy, elquiv­
ocal, te l legraphy, gene•rosity, seni•ority, mag l nanimous,
magnanimity, ba•rometer, ther'mometer, pe l rimeter,
he•xameter, chro t nometer, •secretary, sa t gacity, e l pit­
ome, caltastrophe, ma t nipulate, nolbility, nolnentity,
om l niscient, par l ticular, co l median, Ca l nadian, the l os­
ophy, ge l ology, ge tog.raphy, bo ttanical, gram l matical,
Ja lboratory, elas l ticity, sig l nificant, lontgevity.
Phonetic guide to Exercise 147
m;¡ln::,t;¡n�s, lib:i l rreliti, ti 'lcfonist, ::, : l t::,nami, i lkwiv:ikl,
ti l)egr.ifi, d3en:i•rositi, si :ni 1:iriti, mag 'na:nim;¡s, mregna­
l nimiti, ba lr:,mit:i, e;¡ l m:imit;i, p;i'rimita, hek lsremita,
m l n::,mit:l, lsekr:ltri, �lgresiti, i l pit:imi, . k;¡ ltrestrnfi,
malnipjuleit, nolbiliti, n::>lnentiti, ::>m l nisi;¡nt, p;¡ltikjula,
SYLLABLE STRES.S 17 9
ka lmi :di;in, k;ilneidi;¡n, ei 1::,safi, d3i lofad3i, d3ilografi,
b;¡ ltrenikl, gra'm::etikl, J;¡lbor:itri, 1i :he$ ltisiti, sig lnifiiuint,
fon Id3eviti.
This last section, which concerns itself with the tendency
for English speakers to feel a certain natural ease in ante­
penultimate stress for the pronunciation of longer words
of classical origin, is not to be taken as a reliable guide to
the correct accentuation· of ali such words. There are too
many exceptions. A student who is no't sure of the right
way to stress sorne long word should asir an English speaker
or consult a reliable dictionary. The shifting of stress as
new suffixes add extra syllables, and the fact that this stress
so commonly settles on the third syllable from the end ir­
respective of the meaningful stressing of the word's com­
ponent parts, rnake Exercises i46 and 147 useful reading
tasks for interrnediate and mo.re advanced students; for
it is only when the stress falls on an unexpected syllable
that a foreign speaker finds a long word difficult to say
correctly. The teacher should also insist on the correct
weak forms of the unstressed syllables, and it is for that
purpose that a phonetic key has. been added to these two
exercises.
4. Secondary stress in longer words (tnostly non-Ger­
manic)
Words of more than three syllables usually take a
secondary stress as well as the principal one. This normally
falls on the first or second syllable, and is much weaker
than the main stress; but the vowel-sound is always given
its full value. There are no certain rules for finding thia
stress, but as it is important for the natural shape and
rhythm of longer words, the following two lists ef typical
-amples are given for reatling practice.
180 LIVING ENCLISH SPBECH
Exercise 1,f8 (advanced vocabulary)
Read each of the folldwing words ·twice ,:,r three times, 'Witli
a strong stress on the syllable in bold type anda weaker stress
on the first sy/lable:
1rela l tivjty, 1vege ltarian, 1charactelristic, 1psycho llogícal,
1.totali ltarian, 1crystalli lzation, 1superannu lation, 1quali­
filcation, 1 hetero 'geneous, 1 an_tepen 'ultimate, 1 cancel lJa.
tion, 1auto.bi legraphy, 1 contraldiction, 1 hesi ltation, 1 inde,
lpendent, 1monu 'mental, ,naturalilzation, 1diso'bedient,
1superim 'pose, 1over 'whelming, 1dia l bolical, 1patal­
llelogram, 1 under'standing, 1propa'ganda, 1rehablli­
ltation, 1interlnatíonal, 1microlscopic, 1advan ltageous,
1theo lretical, 1versa ltility, 1 incon'gruity, 1recommin1da­
tion, 1irreldentist, 1incomprelhensible, 1conti l nuity, 1emi­
'gration, 1super 'stitious, 1aristo lcratic, 1proleltarian.
Exerciae 149 (advanced vocabufary)
Read each of the following words twi't:e or three times, 'With
a strong stress on the syllable in bold type anda weaker stress
on the second syllable:
pro 1 nunci lation, ad 1 minis l tration, ex1ami ination, o 1 rigi-
1 nality, ac 1 como ldation, ma 1 teria l liatic, con 1 tinulation,
Na1pole l onic, pe 1culilarity, per1 sonifilcation, po 1tenti­
iaJity, e 1vacu'ation, dis1crimi l nation, ex 1postu l lation,
re 1sponsi'bility, as 1 sirni'lation, in 1corrigi'bility, im 1peria­
'listic, e1xagge'ration, con 1tempo lraneous, o 1blitelra­
tion, ir1 revoca lbility, pro 1crastilnation, in 1 flCJtl lbility,
e¡ lectrifilcation.
Note on extremely long English words of ,wn-Germanic
origín.
W:ords of more than 5 syllables are not vecy commonly
'l&ed in speech. Th ey generally have another principal
SYLLABLE STRESS ,
stress on the first or second syllable, as well as a weaker
(secondary) stress towards tñe middle. Examples of this
.patternare: 1 excom 1muni lcation, '•uper 1ero l gation, lanti-
1 vivi lsection.
5. Stressing of juxtapositional compound nouns
The joining together of separate wordl! to tnake a .com·
pound is an important English speech device. The iiew
compound may remain as two (or more) words, or be joine-d
by a hyphen, or be written as a single word. We are not
concemed here with the grammatical relations of the com­
ponent parts, nor with orthography. We shall merely note
that the resulting compound noun is usually spoken with
a single stress on the first part only, the other syllables
sounding low and unstressed.
Exerciae 150 (fairly advanced vocabulary)
Read each of the following compounds twice or three times,
stressing only the syllable in bold type. Take care that ali
the other syllables are without stress andon a low tone.
Example: lsteamship company.
·- . . :IJJl.1Jl
'Fiahing boat, lteb.nis racquet, lbathing costume, _ldinner­
plate, ldoorhandle, lplayingfield, 'nursery school, lopera
house, lcandlepower, 'blotting paper, lbicycle-pump,
lfactory worker, po l lice station, lraihvay station, 'tele­
graph pole, lsticking plaster, lairmail envelope, ltype­
writer, lcushion cover, lpaper-fastener, ltraffic control,
ltoothbrush-holder, 'sports ground, lsymphony orchestra,
lpencil sharpener, lsewing-machine, lhandbag, 'lightning
conductor, llodginghouse-keeper, ltadio technician, 'shoe
repairer, lbroadcasting station, lsmoking-compartment,
'•econdary-school teacher, lrecord-breaker, leyewitness.