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Zoltán Király Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
Changing meaning through word stress
Hi, here's a sentence:
I have an idea. [a? hæv ?n a?'di?] before linking
I have an idea. [a? hæ_v?_na?'di?] after linking
Person A: I don't know what to do.
Person B: Oh, wait, I have an idea.
I think stressing "I" doesn't make sense in this situation, because when it is stressed it means the idea is mine, not yours or his/hers. Am I right? Of course the idea is mine, but I don't think it needs special emphasis.
So, let's say both "I" and "an" are without stress. Now we have a verb and a noun. If we stress the verb and noun we will have a rhythm like: _ -- _ -- but I'm not sure if it makes sense to stress the verb either.
I would be grateful for any suggestion.
I have an idea. [a? hæv ?n a?'di?] before linking
I have an idea. [a? hæ_v?_na?'di?] after linking
Person A: I don't know what to do.
Person B: Oh, wait, I have an idea.
I think stressing "I" doesn't make sense in this situation, because when it is stressed it means the idea is mine, not yours or his/hers. Am I right? Of course the idea is mine, but I don't think it needs special emphasis.
So, let's say both "I" and "an" are without stress. Now we have a verb and a noun. If we stress the verb and noun we will have a rhythm like: _ -- _ -- but I'm not sure if it makes sense to stress the verb either.
I would be grateful for any suggestion.
Top answer
Zoltán Király I think stressing "I" doesn't make sense in this situation, because when it is stressed it means the idea is mine, not yours or his/hers. Am I right? Of course the idea is mine, but I don't think it needs special emphasis Given that A has said they don't know what to do, B is likely to stress I to show that they do know what to do.
- Zoltán Király I think stressing "I" doesn't make sense in this situation, because when it is stressed it means the idea is mine, not yours or his/hers.
- Am I right?
- Of course the idea is mine, but I don't think it needs special emphasis Given that A has said they don't know what to do, B is likely to stress I to show that they do know what to do.
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1 Answers
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Zoltán KirályI think stressing "I" doesn't make sense in this situation, because when it is stressed it means the idea is mine, not yours or his/hers. Am I right? Of course the idea is mine, but I don't think it needs special emphasisGiven that A has said they don't know what to do, B is likely to stress I to show that they do know what to do.
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