Phonology - Stressing of compounds

INTRODUCTIONSTRESS: To pronounce a word or syllable with greater force than other words in the same sentence or other syllables

in the same word.

PRIMARY STRESS: The most stressed syllable in a word. Is heard more prominent than SECONDAY STRESS. It is denoted by a superior vertical stroke (/´/). Some compound word have two.

SECONDARY STRESS: Is the next most intensely stressed syllable in a word. Usually only applies to longer words of four or more syllables. It is denoted by a inferior vertical stroke (/,/).

STRESS SHIFT: In linguistics, the word formation process in which only the audible emphasis of a syllable changes to create a new word. For example: Re’cord (Verb) /rɪˈkɔːd/ - ‘Record (Noun) /ˈrek.ɔːd/

The meaning of a sentence often depends on stress and intonation. When 'insert' /ɪnˈsɜːt/ is a verb,

the stress is on the second syllable, but when it is a noun, the stress is on the first syllable /ˈɪn.sɜːt/ .

RHYTHMIC STRESS: Many factors affect stress patterns, sometimes it is necessary to shift the stress of a word in order

to reach fluency in pronunciation.

Some important definitions:

‘record player NOUN + NOUN = N1 direct object of N2 Collocation = NOUN

The agent usually ends in -er, -or, and can be human or non-human.

E.g. To be a ballet dancer you have to rehearse a lot every day.

Songwriters are really creative people.

The taxi driver wasn't kind to me.

`RaindropN+N N1 indicates the material N2 is made of.

Unintentional accumulation.

Collocation: NOUNE.g.: The Angel Falls are the world’s highest waterfall. Sawdust is used to build pieces of furniture. There are many sanddunes in Mar del Plata. Breaded meat is made with breadcrumb. Well, aren’t you a special snowflake.

Language TeachingNoun + Verb (ing) = N1 object of the VCollocation: noun or adjective.

★ I had my hair cut at the hairdressing.★ I have never been horseracing yet.★ I like to go sightseeing when I travel.★ My uncle has a dressmaking store.★ I would like to learn how to do windsurfing.

‘walking stick, ‘lending libraryVERB-ing + NOUN Collocation: NOUN

★ The N doesn’t perform the action of the V.★ The N represents the time or place of the action of the V.

Example:I love spending my free time in the sitting room, relaxing and listening to music.During the summer I like going to the swimming pool every weekend.We stayed at Tarso Bar until its closing time.She’s taken up dancing lesson.

VERB-ing + NOUN Collocation: NOUN

★ Here the N performs the action of the V, but the action is not in progress.

Example:I always use the watering can while I’m helping my mum to do the gardening.The printing press was broken by the students of first year.

‘soldering iron, ‘washing machine

‘BLACKBOARD, ‘BALDHEAD

Adj + noun (A+N)

Collocation: ??????They usually take double stress by default.1)I enjoy eating sweet corn on summer.2) Richard’s mother was taken to the madhouse3) everyone was about to sleep when the burglar got into the building.4) the deadline of the essay is on monday.5) the high season in the restaurant is on winter.

´MOTH-EATEN, ´V-SHAPED1. Noun + Participle N is subject of P.

Collocation: adjectives.Eg: A sunlit garden

2. Relationship between N and P is more complex.Eg: Corpus based is understood as ‘based on a corpus’

3. The function of the resulting collocation is adjectival and the early- stress pattern of the citation form does not vary when the compound is used either attributively or predicatively.

-CITATION FORM:´moth-eaten-ATTRIBUTIVE USE: a ´moth-eaten ´sweater-PREDICATIVE USE: ´those i´deas can be de´scribed as ´moth-eaten

HomesickNoun + AdjectiveCollocation: Adjective.

★ He is a streetwise man.★ I’m an accident-prone person, I’m likely to have

accidents.★ She is colour-blind. She can’t see the difference

between red and green.

Verb+Noun collocation: nouns and adjectives.● While i was getting out of my car a pickpocket

stole me.Noun+Verb collocations: nouns.● There was a spectacular sunrise yesterday.

`Cookbook, `Daybreak

StandbyVerb + Particle

Collocation: Noun or Adjective.

★ Our comeback from Rosario was really tiring.★ Sometimes I eat takeaway food.★ Nowadays, there are a lot of playback singers.★ From the lookout of my bedroom, I saw a lot of colourful

birds.

UNDERGROUNDAdverb + Noun

Collocation: Noun

★ I don’t like doing crosswords.★ I went to a supermarket with a

shopping list.★ In Rqta. there isn’t an underground.★ I need to buy new underclothes.

The nouns street and gate are not stressed in street name collocations.

Collocation: Noun.E.g.● He lived at 66 Bingfield Street.● The English FA is in Lancaster Gate, in West

London.

`Oxford Street, `Deansgate

Kitchen sinkNoun + NounCollocation: Noun

★ My mother tongue is Spanish.★ I have an extended family tree.★ I usually go to the disco on saturday night.★ I had to wear a school uniform at secondary

school.

Rolling Stone1) We felt freezing cold in the tent in spite of the big fire.2) No matter how much I tried, I couldn't find running water in

the desert.3) Even though I begged the director for the main character, he

only gave me a supporting role.4) Some historians wrote about the political struggles of the

working class.5) I’ve never passed a Literature test with flying colours.

‘baby `boyNoun + Noun Collocation Noun ★ The referent are both N1 and N2

Examples:My best friend had a baby girl two months ago.You shouldn’t eat so much junk food because is not good for your health.

Dark Blue

1) I’ve spent bitter sweet moments with him.2) After spent 15 min explaining her something, I realised he was deaf

mute.

`Good-`lookingADJ + VERB [-ing]

Collocation: Adjective♦ An `easygoing `teacher. (Stressed atributively)

♦ He’s a `very easy`going. (Stressed predicatively)

♦ She has an everlasting love.♦ I have a very hard-working family.

Self + Verb [-ing]= adjectivese.g self-cateringNoun (agent) +

Adverb= nounse.g looker-onAdverb + Participle

= adjectivese.g farfetched

‘Apple ´pieNoun + Noun = N1 a mass noun N2 is made of. This implies intentionality.Collocation = Noune.g. I´m following a strict diet, so today I have to eat only a fruit salad.

I spent my holidays studying for a math competition, and because of that I

obtained the gold medal. I don't believe in fortune tellers that talk with crystal balls.

‘Apple ´pieExceptions: lemon juice, orange juice, chocolate cake, coconut milk, cornflakes, fruitcake.

Double vs. single stress may produce different meanings.

e.g. ‘paper ´bag (bag made of paper) & ´paper bag (bag for newspapers) ‘cheese ´biscuit (one made of cheese) &

´cheese biscuit (one for eating with cheese)

‘old -´fashionedAdjective + Noun + Adjectival [-ed] = A + N [-ed]Collocation = AdjectiveThey are affected by stress shift.e.g. My grandma is getting rather absent-minded. Why don't you try being a bit more sweet-tempered? Although all her problems, she is a really high-spirited

person, and we enjoy that. I would like to buy a new car, but they are so high-

priced that I can't afford anyone.