Ch. 3 | Exercise 3

Chapter 3
English Phonology, Phonotactics, and Suprasegmentals

Exercise 3.3
Word Stress

1.

Using acute and grave accents, mark primary and secondary stress (where present) in the following words.

a.

papyrus

b.

feminine

c.

millionaire

d.

harmonica

e.

pelican

f.

geometry

g.

vocabulary

h.

compliment

i.

pedigree

j.

hypotenuse

k.

summary

l.

memorandum

m.

architecture

n.

discipline

o.

caterpillar

p.

penetration

q.

vigilante

r.

peripheral

s.

macaroni

t.

imperialism

u.

satellite

v.

characterize

w.

chromosome

x.

accidental

2.

Transcribe the following sets of words and mark primary and secondary stress with super and subticks. Note the reduction of vowels in unstressed syllables.

a.

catastrophe

catastrophic

b.

synonym

synonymous

c.

repeat

repetitive

repetition

How does stress affect the quality of the first t in repetitive and repetition?

How does stress affect the quality of the p?

d.

migrate

migratory

migration

e.

intellect

intellectual

intelligent

f.

apply

application

applicable

applicability

g.

exhibit

exhibition

How does stress affect the voicing of the consonants in exhibit and exhibition?

3.

How does stress differentiate these derivationally-related words?

a.
proverb proverbial
reflex reflexive
b.
perfect perfection
tranquil tranquility
c.
injure injurious
enter entertain
4.
a.

Give strong and weak forms of that and show how they are used in a sentence.

b.

Give two sentences in which the word afternoon has a different syllable stressed.

1.
a.

papýrus

b.

féminine

c.

mìllionáire

d.

harmónicà

e.

pélican

f.

geómetry

g.

vocábulàry

h.

cómpliment

i.

pédigrèe

j.

hypótenùse

k.

súmmery

l.

mèmorándum

m.

árchitècture

n.

díscipline

o.

cáterpillar

p.

pènetrátion

q.

vìgilánte

r.

perípheral

s.

màcaróni

t.

impérialìsm

u.

sátellìte

v.

cháracterìze

w.

chrómosòme

x.

àccidéntal

2.
a.

/kəˈtæstrəfi/

/kætəˈstrɑfɪk/

b.

/ˈsɪnənɪm/

/səˈnɑnəməs/

c.

/rəˈpit/

/rəˈpɛtətɪv/

/ˌrɛpəˈtɪʃən/

In repetitive, the first t is flapped [rəˈpʰɛɾətɪv] because the accent immediately precedes, but in repetition, flapping does not occur because the accent follows. In repeat [rəˈpʰit] and repetitive [rəˈpʰɛɾətɪv], the /p/ is aspirated because it occurs before a stressed vowel, but in repetition it is not aspirated. Note that the same principles for flapping and aspiration would apply in 2(a) and 2(e). Also, the same principle for aspiration would apply in 2(f).

d.

/ˈmaɪɡreɪt/

/ˈmaɪɡrəˌtɔri/

/maɪˈɡreɪʃən/

e.

/ˈɪntəˌlɛkt/

/ˌɪntəˈlɛktʃuəl/

/ɪnˈtɛlədʒənt/

f.

/əˈplaɪ/

/ˌæpləˈkeɪʃən/

[əˈplɪkəbḷ] or [ˈæplɪkəbḷ]

/əˌplɪkəˈbɪlɪti/ or /ˌæplɪkəˈbɪləti/

g.

/ɛɡˈzɪbɪt/

/ɛksɪˈbɪʃən/

Voicing occurs when the consonants are not stressed. Compare of /əv/, an unstressed preposition, and off /ɑf/, a stressed adverb.

3.
a.

The N has initial-syllable stress (próverb, réflex), while the A has stress on the second syllable (provérbial, refléxive).

b.

The A has initial-syllable stress (pérfect, tránquil), while the N has stress on the second syllable (perféction, tranquílity).

c.

The V has initial-syllable stress, while the A has stress on the second syllable (injúrious) or third syllable (entertáin).

4.
a.
strong: [ðæt] I want that one. (demonstrative)
That is the best one. (pronoun)
weak [ðət] I know that I am right. (conjunction)
b.

I saw him this afternóon.

I attended an áfternoon cóncert.