Education
Primary, Secondary, and Weak Stress
In linguistics and phonology, stress refers to the emphasis placed on certain syllables within words or phrases. Understanding the different levels of stress is crucial for proper pronunciation and communication.
- Primary Stress:
- The strongest emphasis in a word
- Usually indicated by a high pitch and longer duration
- Example: In “photograph,” the primary stress is on “pho-“
- Secondary Stress:
- Less emphasis than primary stress but more than unstressed syllables
- Often occurs in compound words or longer words
- Example: In “photographic,” there’s secondary stress on “graph-“
- Weak Stress (or Unstressed):
- Little to no emphasis
- Often pronounced with a reduced vowel sound (schwa)
- Example: In “photograph,” the “-to-” is weakly stressed
Understanding stress patterns is essential for language learners, as it affects word recognition, rhythm, and overall comprehension in spoken language.