In stress-timed languages like English, ____.
AAll syllables are equally stressed
BStressed syllables occur at regular intervals
CStress depends on vowel length
DOnly nouns carry stress
Answer:
B. Stressed syllables occur at regular intervals
Read Explanation:
Understanding Stress-Timed Languages
- In stress-timed languages, such as English, German, and Russian, the rhythm is characterized by a relatively constant time interval between stressed syllables. This means that stressed syllables tend to occur at regular intervals, regardless of the number of unstressed syllables between them.
- To maintain this rhythm, unstressed syllables are often compressed, reduced, or shortened to fit into the time slot between stressed syllables. This phenomenon leads to variations in the duration of syllables.
Contrast with Syllable-Timed Languages
- This contrasts with syllable-timed languages (e.g., French, Spanish, Italian, Mandarin Chinese), where each syllable takes approximately the same amount of time to pronounce, and the rhythm is more uniform across all syllables.
- In syllable-timed languages, there is less reduction of unstressed vowels, and the syllables tend to have a more consistent length.
Key Characteristics and Implications for English
- Rhythmic Compression: In English, if there are many unstressed syllables between two stressed ones, these unstressed syllables are pronounced more quickly and often undergo vowel reduction (e.g., to a schwa /ə/) or even elision (omission) to maintain the regular beat of the stressed syllables.
- Isochrony: The tendency for stressed syllables to occur at regular intervals is often referred to as isochrony. While perfect isochrony is an idealized concept, it is a defining characteristic of stress-timed languages.
- Weak Forms: This stress-timing mechanism is a primary reason why English has 'weak forms' of many function words (e.g., 'to' /tə/, 'for' /fər/, 'and' /ən/). These words are reduced when unstressed to fit the rhythmic pattern.
- Understanding this concept is crucial for grasping the natural rhythm and intonation of English, which is vital for both pronunciation and listening comprehension.