Discourse Analysis & Phonology

-- Prosodic—stress & intonation

Pronunciation can cause problem or difficulty in understanding each other.

Strong

• Strong

} Beats/stress (Examples : 4.1- 4.3)

• Weak

Important Element in The Teaching of Spoken English

• English has :
• i) rhythmicality of different degrees in speeches

of :

• broadcast
• fluent reading
• speeches
• monologues
• ordinary conversation
• ii) stress-timed L :-

--stress timing

--syllable-timing

--e.g : the word “extraordinary”, “mother”, etc.

Prominence : -

• Prominence : -
• Syllables which stand out in the flow of talk
• Because speaker has uttered them with greater intensity or duration or pitch duration.
• Sentence stress is also called ‘tonic’.
• e.g : JA pan ESE, or

Japan εSε, never

JaPAnese.

• Good example : 4.16

Word-stress Prominence

• Word-stress Prominence
• The knowledge about syllables that may be prominent is useful.
• In context –primary & secondary stress is important.

e.g : When I was in college, I had many Japanese friends.

Placing of Prominence

• e.g : 4.17, 4.18 & 4.19
• Interactive choice is important.
• When we consider prominence in discourse, we are considering the extent to which speakers & listeners’ worlds converge.
• e.g: 4.21 ( I can take you right to the door if you wish).
• --The emphasis on to instead of door.
• e.g: In Islam, one who seeks knowledge must practice humility.
• .

Good practice—Activity 5 (97).

• Good practice—Activity 5 (97).
• Function & non-function words can be given prominence as well.
• e.g: 4.22, 4.23 & 4.24.
• Problems with prominence—misunderstandings about word stress esp. in compound words.
• e.g: You can publish your poem in the