Accentual structure of English words

The sequence of syllables in the word is not pronounced identically. The syllable or syllables that are uttered with more prominence than other syllables are called accented or stressed. The correlation of varying prominences of syllables in a word is understood as accentual structure. According to A.C. Gimson, the effect of prominence is achieved by any or all four factors: force, tone, length and vowel colour. The word stress in English is not only free, but it may also be shifting performing the semantic function of differentiating lexical units, parts of speech grammatical forms.

Linguists distinguish 3 degrees of stress:

1) Primary – the strongest;

2) Secondary – the second strongest;

3) Weak – all other.

Functions of word stress:

1) Constructive – it constitutes a word, organizes syllables into language unit with the definite accentual structure;

2) Identificatory – it enables a person to identify a succession of syllables as a definite accentual pattern of a word;

3) Distinctive – it differentiates the meaning of words with their forms.

Tendencies of word stress:

1) Received tendency – stress is placed on the root syllable (typical for German words);

2) Rhythmical tendency – appearance of the secondary syllable in multisyllabic words (typical for French borrowings);

3) Retentive tendency – instability of the accentual structure – a derivative often retains the stress of the original word.

Intonation

Intonation is a phonetic phenomenon and characteristics of speech expressing a communicative purpose or intention of a speaker. A unit of intonation is intonation pattern which usually coincides with syntagm. Syntagm is a part of an utterance, logically and semantically finished and characterized by hesitation before and after it. The main function of intonation is expressing intention of a speaker.

Phonostylistics. Phonetic characteristics of speech

Phonostylistics is a subbranch of theoretical phonetics studying phonetic characteristics of speech and factors influencing them. Phonetic characteristics:

1) Pronunciation of separate sounds;

2) Speech tembre;

3) Pitch, loudness;

4) Hesitations and pauses;

5) Intonation in general;

6) Speed or fluency.

Factors that influence phonetic characteristics:

1) Form of communication;

2) Intention of a speaker;

3) Sex and age of a speaker;

4) Social background (provenance);

5) Degree of spontaneity;