IV Shift of stress.

V. A. Vassilyev introduces the term “accenteme” for word stress as a suprasegmental phonological unit having different degrees and placement in a word. For instance the primary accenteme is opposed to the weak word accenteme (unstressed position), in 'export – ex'port differentiating the noun from the verb).

A. C. Gimson establishes three groups of words with identical spelling representing different parts of speech which are opposed by means of shifting of the stress (Gimson A. C. An Introduction to the Pronunciation of English. – London, 1981):

1.) A small group of words where a noun is differentiated from a verb by the opposition of the accentual pattern of the word alone, e.g.

increase ['Inkri:s] – [In'kri:s]

insult ['InsAlt] – [In'sAlt]

inlay ['Inlei] – [In'leI]

impress ['Impres] – [Im'pres]

2). The second group where the shifting of the stress may be or may not be accompanied by the reduction of the vowel in the unstressed syllable of the verbs, e.g.

transport ['trxnspLt] – [trxns'pLt] or [trqns'pLt]

torment ['tLment] - [tL'ment] or [tq'ment]

3). The largest group of such pairs of words manifests the change of their accentual pattern together with the qualitative reduction of the unstressed vowel, e.g.

combine ['kPmbaIn] - [kqm'baIn]

conduct ['kPndAkt] - [kqn'dAkt]

contrast ['kPntrRst] - [kqn'trRst]

Oppositions of accentual types of words are also observed as a concomitant factor in word-formation in addition to suffixation. For example,

'organize – "organi'zation 'palatalize – 'palatali'zation

'predis'pose – 'pre"dispo'sition "incon'siderable – 'incon"side'ration.

There is also a group of accentual oppositions where compound nouns are opposed to free word combinations, e.g.

a 'blackboard – классная доска a 'dancing-girl - танцовщица

a' black 'board – черная доска a 'dancing 'girl – танцующая девушка

Most of compound adjectives have two equal stresses, as both elements in them are semantically important, e.g. 'absent-'minded, 'right-'handed, 'good-'natured. If both elements of a compound noun semantically important they are equally stressed, e.g. 'south-'east, 'north-'west. As soon as the significance of one of the elements of a compound adjective is weakened, its accentual pattern is changed, e.g. 'summer-like, 'round-shaped. Most of compound nouns have one stress on the first element which is more significant than the second one. They are sometimes opposed to other compound nouns with the same second element, e.g. 'living-room – 'bedroom - 'bathroom; 'shop-girl – 'ballet-girl.

Phrasal verbs are stressed as their postpositions change the actual meaning of the verb itself, e.g.

\Look at the 'picture. – \Sorry, I \can’t. I’m →looking 'for my \glasses.

Or to 'turn 'on – to 'turn 'off

to 'put (smth) 'on – 'put (smth) 'off;

to 'get 'up, to 'come 'up, to 'give 'in, etc.

Words with meaningful prefixes are likewise semantically opposed to those without prefixes. For example,

'comfort – 'discomfort under'stand –' misunder'stand

'moral – 'im'moral re'sistible – 'ir'resistible

con'venient –'incon'venient 'climax – 'anti'climax

'stop – 'non-'stop 'educated - 'un'educated

The instability of English accentual structure of words presents much difficulty for Russian / Ukrainian learners. The accentual structure of English words in speech continuum is inseparably connected with the rhythmic organization of speech

chain.

When stressing words (lexical units) the major factor is the force of articulation because lexical units are usually pronounced with more force than articles, particles, prepositions, etc. However melody is not important at this level. Syntagmatic stress combines both force and pitch change. The factors that contribute to the logical stress are force and melody with both factors probably being equal from the point of view of their importance. At the same time comparing with syntagmatic stress there is more melody and more force in logical stress. With the emphatic stress melody comes as №1. Another important feature is voice range and variations. Length is significant too because it always indicate emotions.