[#English] Pronunciation & Stress

 

How could we improve our English pronunciation??
Firstly, we should have to concentrate on definition of concept.

Pronunciation

• Suprasegmental
- Stress / - Intonation / - Rhythm / - Pitch / - Amplitude (volume) / - Tone

• Segmental
- Vowels/Consonants(phonemes) / - syllables

: Segmental factors are more likely important for English education case.

    For example,

        - Chocolate
        - Cookies
        - Cream
        - Chocolate cookies
        - Cream

0. List Intonation

ex.
Do you prefer beer, wine or soju?

: may have to concentrate on Pitch of "beer, wine of soju?", It always slowly goes down.

1. Closed questions (Yes/No)

ex.
Is it normal to tip a taxi driver?
Is it appropriate to bring a gift?
Is it best to arrive early?

: Pitch will goes upward.

2. Open question 

ex.
When is the next bus?
What kind of movie is it?

: Pitch will goes down.

Stress

English is an stress-timed language. Word stress changes the meaning.

ex.

I never said she stole the money
= Somebody said it, but I never did

I never said she stole the money
= Stresses Never Ever, not once!

I never said she stole the money
= Maybe I suggested it, or made you think that, but I didn't SAY it directly.

I never said she stole the money
= I said a different person stole it

I never said she stole the money
= I said she took it, but not that it was stolen

I never said she stole the money
= I said she stole some money, but not the specific money you are talking about

I never said she stole the money
= She stole something, but not the money

Intonation and Meaning

: Its a Tag Questions, means A question added to a statement.

ex.
You're Australian, aren't you?
You're a doctor, aren't you?
You can't drive, can you?
You forgot it, didn't you?

then If question statement's Pitch goes down, then which means functioning as Comfirming statement. But, the case of Pitch goes upward, then that means functioning as real asking.
So, If question pitch goes down has Certainty. If question pitch goes upward has Less Certatin.

In real-time person to person conversation, people listen to how you say something more than what you say.

- Changing the stressed word changes the meaning
- You will get a different response depending on which word you stress
- If is an efficient way to communicate meaning
- Intonation and stress can show if you are certain or not

Further Info:

[1] English Speaking - Stress and Meaning, <Youtube>, <https://youtu.be/hC-nPBCWvOw?si=9q16an3Koac9bdp4>, 2020. 11. 20.