Stressful words
Dick Smakman · 2019
English spelling is highly irregular and has relatively many words whose pronunciation is not completely predictable on the basis of their spelling. There are a number of words that learners of English typically pronounce wrongly. Sometimes, the rules explained in the previous chapter apply to these words, and you can also find other lists of stress and pronunciation rules online. However, there are many exceptions to these rules, and many words have over the ages developed an unexpected pronunciation, like the place name Loughborough , which is [ lʌf brə] to many speakers (the stressed syllable is boxed), which sounds like ‘ luffbra ’. Also, learners of English have over time developed their own idiosyncratic pronunciation for certain words. A well-known example is the word variable . Many learners have grown accustomed to pronouncing the second syllable in this word with stress and making it sound like eye [aɪ], so that they pronounce the word as [və ra ɪəbəl], ‘ vuh rah yable ’. The internationally most understandable pronunciation, however, is with the stress on the first syllable, i.e. as [ vɛː rɪəbəl], ‘ veh riable ’. The words said and says are also subject to this, as many speakers now pronounce these words with the vowel [eɪ] (the vowel in s ay ) rather than the more internationally acceptable and understandable vowel [ɛ] (the vowel in b e d ). There are many more of such words. It is important for learners to be aware of this and make conscious choices.