Fwd: Rejected posting to PHYS-L@LISTS.NAU.EDU

["Elizabeth J. Pyatt" <ejp10@PSU.EDU>]

Speaking as a lurking linguist, I would comment that the problem with
determining stress in English is that most dialects add secondary
stress to syllables which end with a consonant or with a "long
vowel". This adds a layer of complexity to English stress which
frustrates and confuses even the native speakers.

All three syllables of "com.po.nent" meet this criteria, so all three
get a secondary stress. In my dialect, I think the second to last
gets the main stress, but it's harder to detect. Compare with
"com.pli.ment" where the second syllable is stressless because it
neither ends with a consonant or has a long vowel.  It's clearer that
the first syllable is stressed (at least in my dialect(.

In short - I wouldn't "stress" about where you stress. As long as you
don't receive any puzzled expressions, you're probably doing OK.

Cheers

Elizabeth


>  >
> > Date:    Sun, 29 Feb 2004 04:00:37 -0500
> > From:    Michael Edmiston <edmiston@BLUFFTON.EDU>
> > Subject: Re: pronunciation of component
> >
> > The online American Heritage Dictionary at www.yourdictionary.com allows
> > you to hear the pronunciation via a wave file.
> >
> > Prior to hearing it, I would have said people around here put the accent
> > on the second syllable, the same as indicated by the annotation in the
> > dictionary.  After hearing it I realized that is not quite right, yet it
> > also is not right to say we put the accent on the first syllable.
> >
> > The difference I detect between the dictionary pronunciation and the
> > northwest Ohio pronunciation is more timing and vowel sound than accent.
> >
> > The way the voice in the wave file says it is...  come PO nent.... in
> > which the timing for each syllable is about equal.  The voice rattles
> > off the word quite quickly.
> >
> > In northwest Ohio I think we say... cahhhhhm' PO nent.  (1) The first
> > vowel sound changes from uh to ah.  (2) The first syllable is stretched
> > in time (compared to the voice in the wave file) then the second and
> > third syllables go quickly (just like in the wave file).  (3) There is a
> > minor accent on the first syllable but the most loud syllable is the
> > second.
> >
> > I don't think I have ever heard anyone say component with a true accent
> > on the first syllable such as in the word compliment.
> >
> > I don't believe the science/math pronunciation is different than the
> > street pronunciation, at least not around here.
> >
> > Michael D. Edmiston, Ph.D.
> > Professor of Physics and Chemistry
> > Bluffton College
> > Bluffton, OH 45817
> > (419)-358-3270
>  >edmiston@bluffton.edu
> >

--
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Elizabeth J. Pyatt, Ph.D.
Instructional Designer
Education Technology Services, TLT/ITS
Penn State University
ejp10@psu.edu, (814) 865-0805 or (814) 865-2030 (Main Office)

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