Website Speech Tip FOR Tuesday, AUGUST 25, 2020 Do you want to understand why sometimes you are supposed to put the word syllable accent or stress on the same syllable as the root word and sometimes you  are not supposed to ?

English Pronunciation: Have you ever wondered why when you add a suffix onto a root word, sometimes the word syllable accent stress stays on the same syllable as the root word and sometimes it moves to the syllable next to the suffix ending?                  

Here’s the answer.  First, please recall that English is largely built from Germanic, French and Latin languages.

Second, the German language keeps the syllable accent stress on the same syllable as the original root word.

Here are the German based suffixes to memorize- “y,” “ly,” “ful,” “some, “ “ness,” “less”. 

Do yourself a favor, and memorize these.  Then when you see them, you will know to emphasize the “root”  word with going up in pitch on that syllable.

For more detail, click on the link to our blog of Monday, August 24, 2020 for “y,” “ly,” “ful.”  Blog link goes here.

 I will come back with more info.

Here is an important take-home message. The Germanic language was wise and clever. The “root” word of a multiple syllable word is the MOST important.  So emphasize that.  Go up in pitch on that to guide the listener.  For written language, the reader’s eye will recognize right away the “root”  or “root word” or “stem”.  The meaning of the word will leap out at the reader.   And beautifully, human beings will figure out the meaning of the suffixes.  They will intuitively and probably even consciously recognize  “y,” “ly,” “ful,” “some,” “ness,” “less”  to make the root word into another part of speech.

Video 44, January – Janus is the root, put the word syllable accent on :Jan

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