31. Functions of the syllable

Syllable is the smallest pronounceable unit with potential linguistic importance. Syllables are capable to form language units of greater magnitude i.e. morphemes, words and phrases.

Functions:

- constitutive - syllables form words;

- distinctive - distinguish words & word-forms (nitrate [nai’treit] – night rate [nait-‘reit]);

- recognitive.

Open junction, e.g. a name [Ə + neim], an aim [Ən + eim], nitrate [nai-treit] – night rate [nait-reit]

Close junction occurs between sounds closely connected with each other within one syllable by a single arc of articulatory effort, e.g. between [n] and [ei], [ei] and [m].

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32. Word stress and its classification

Word stress is an increase of energy, accompanied by an increase of expiratory and articulatory activity.

According to the articulatory means:

- dynamic (force) - intensity of articulation - Eng, Ru;

- musical (tonic) - change of pitch or musical tone - Chi, Jap;

- quantitative - changes in the quantity of the vowels (longer in stressed syllables);

- qualitative - changes in the quality of the vowel.

According to the degree of word stress:

- (UK) primary, secondary, weak;

- (US-Bloch-Trager) strong: loud, reduced loud, medial; weak;

- (US-others) primary, secondary (precedes primary one), tertiary (follows primary one), weak.

According to the position of word stress:

- fixed (restricted to a particular syllable in a multisyllabic word, Slovak - first);

- free (location is not confined to a specific position in the word);

- shifting (can change its position in diff. gramm. forms and derivatives);

- constant (remains in the same position).

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33. English word accentuation tendencies

Recessive T. - to stress the beginning of the word typical of Germanic languages (stress originally fell on the initial syllable or the 2nd syllable, or the root syllable w/ prefixes).

Unrestricted:

- native English words with no prefix (`mother, `daughter, `swallow, `carry),

- assimilated French borrowings (`reason, `colour).

Restricted:

English words with prefixes, some of which no longer exist (fore`see, with`draw, be`gin, a`part).

Rhythmical T. reflects the rhythm of alternating stressed and unstressed syllables. This tendency caused the appearance of the secondary stress in the multisyllabic French borrowings (,revo`lution, ,organi`zation, as,simi`lation). It also explains the placement of the primary stress on the third syllable from the end in three- and four-syllable words (`cinema, `situate, ar`ticulate).

Retentive T. - a derivative retains the stress of the parent word (`similar-as`similate). Sometimes in the derivative the primary stress of the original word turns into secondary stress (`demonstrate-`demonst`ration).

34. Functions of word stress

Constitutive: constitutes a word, it organizes the syllables of a word into a language unit. A word does not exist without the word stress.

Distinctive: differentiates the meaning of words and their forms:

- grammatical category (‘insult-in’sult);

- meaning of the word (‘billow-be’low);

- compound nouns from free word combinations (‘blackboard - ‘black ‘board).

Recognitive: stress makes it possible for the listener to identify a succession of syllables with a definite recurrent stress pattern as a word.

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