Talking Tip #11: Saying words with the correct emphasis or stressed syllable makes a huge impact on how well you are understood.

 

Stress 

Stress can mean a few different things.  It’s something we feel.  It’s something we experience.  It’s also an aspect of speaking, a component of our intonation.

 

Another word for stress is emphasis.  When we emphasize something, we are drawing attention to it.  Like if we are arguing or debating, we will emphasize a point to sway another’s opinion.  But how does this relate to talking?  Specifically, how does it relate to our words?

 

Stress patterns in speaking

When we speak North American English, we use stress whether we realize it or not.  We draw attention to parts of our words, and we do this with somewhat of a predictable pattern.  It’s not something we notice when we say words that are only one part or syllable.  But in longer words, we use differing patterns of stress.  For instance, if I say the word “finger”, I say two syllables but I only stress or emphasize one.  In this case, I stress the first syllable.  I say it a little more noticeably by raising my pitch and loudness slightly.

 

What happens when I say the word “today”?  Is the same pattern occurring as in the word “finger”?  Let’s take a closer look.  There are two parts or syllables in both of the words.  But the stress or emphasis is different.  Unlike the word “finger”, now the stress is on the second syllable “day”.  I say “today” by emphasizing the second syllable with a slightly higher pitch and loudness.  And so go the patterns for words of two syllables: either the first or the second syllable will be stressed.

 

Longer words

Now, what happens in longer words, like those of 3 syllables?  Is there a rule that fits all words?  Yes, there are patterns but unfortunately no hard and fast unbreakable rules.  There are three syllable words that have

the first syllable stressed (as in monument), the second syllable stressed (as in apartment), or the third syllable stressed (engineer).  We see in 4 syllable words that some have the second syllable stressed (as in Connecticut) and some the third (as in manufacture).

 

Importance of stress

Stress will vary as the words get longer, and it becomes increasingly important to get it right.  Otherwise, your listener may not understand you.  In fact, one of the key factors in speaking North American English naturally is being able to place the stress on the correct syllable.  Many of us work in professions with long words, tricky to say, and tricky to understand if not said correctly.  Those are the words to get right.

 

 

So, the next time you encounter a word you aren’t familiar with, listen to how it is being said and see if you can determine which syllable should be stressed. Follow these steps: listen carefully; pay attention to the stress; memorize; use the word in your everyday talking; repeat.  This is how you will learn the stress patterns of words in English, and the impact on your speech clarity will be significant.

 

If you would like to learn more about the intonation patterns of North American English, consider taking one of my courses.

 

 

Talking Tip #11: Saying words with the correct emphasis or stressed syllable makes a huge impact on how well you are understood.

Stress. That’s a buzz word. Stress can mean a few different things. It’s something we feel. It’s something we experience. And it’s something we can do when we are talking.

Another word for stress is emphasis. When we emphasize something, we are drawing attention to it. Like if we are arguing or debating, we will emphasize a point to sway another’s opinion. But how does this relate to talking? Specifically, how does it relate to our words?

When we speak North American English, we use stress whether we realize it or not. We draw attention to parts of our words, and we do this with somewhat of a predictable pattern. It’s not something we notice when we say words that are only one part or syllable. But in longer words, we use differing patterns of stress. For instance, if I say the word “finger”, I say two syllables but I only stress or emphasize one. In this case, I stress the first syllable. I say it a little more noticeably by raising my pitch and loudness slightly.

What happens when I say the word “today”? Is the same pattern occurring as in the word “finger”? Let’s take a closer look. There are two parts or syllables in both of the words. But the stress or emphasis is different. Unlike the word “finger”, now the stress is on the second syllable “day”. I say “today” by emphasizing the second syllable with a slightly higher pitch and loudness. And so go the patterns for words of two syllables: either the first or the second syllable will be stressed.

Now, what happens in longer words, like those of 3 syllables? Is there a rule that fits all words? Yes, there are patterns but unfortunately no hard and fast unbreakable rules. There are three syllable words that have
the first syllable stressed (as in monument), the second syllable stressed (as in apartment), or the third syllable stressed (engineer). We see in 4 syllable words that some have the second syllable stressed (as in Connecticut) and some the third (as in manufacture).

Stress will vary as the words get longer, and it becomes increasingly important to get it right. Otherwise, your listener may not understand you. In fact, one of the key factors in speaking North American English naturally is being able to place the stress on the correct syllable. Many of us work in professions with long words, tricky to say, and tricky to understand if not said correctly. Those are the words to get right.

So, the next time you encounter a word you aren’t familiar with, listen to how it is being said and see if you can determine which syllable should be stressed.

Follow these steps: listen carefully; pay attention to the stress; memorize; use the word in your everyday talking; repeat. This is how you will learn the stress patterns of words in English, and the impact on your speech clarity will be significant.