English is Stress-Full.
Are you stressing the right syllable?
The English language is full of stress. What is stress? Stress is the emphasis or importance being placed on certain sounds or parts of a word.
The simplest way to correctly pronounce English words is to practice placing stress on the correct syllable in each word.
This means understanding that most English words are spoken with muted, or stressed syllables. Muted means that there is little emphasis on the syllables, and they are often rushed in speaking. Stressed means that emphasis is placed heavily on one particular syllable in a multisyllabic word.
For Example:
person per-son He is a good person.
personal per-son-al It is a personal matter.
personnel per-sonn-el The cake is for all office personnel
personality per-son-al-i-ty That woman has a cheerful personality.
personification per-son-ni-fi-ca-tion They are the personification of happiness.
Single Vs. multiple syllables
USEFUL HINT: English words with only one syllable require the speaker to drop their tone. ( Make it go down)
Imagine speaking the word as if you were tossing a ball to someone. The tone would arch downwards like a baseball falling into a glove.WITH THAT IN MIND, TRY SAYING THESE WORDS:
TIME SING PLAY SUIT ACT CAR WRITE
ROCK STAR SHINE
This is also effective when singing in English, to get the tone and meaning correct. If you say the previous list of words with a rising intonation instead, then those words would sound like a question.
TRY IT:
rising tone falling tone
“Do you have the time?” I have the time.
“Do you like to sing?” I like to sing.
Do you want to be a star? You are a star!
Are you ready to rock? Let’s Rock!
Words with more than one syllable can have the stress on any syllable. There is no specific rule and depending on dialect or accent, that stress can change.
NECESARRY STRESS
Knowing English words is sometimes not enough to communicate effectively. As an entertainer, it is important when using English to have a good understanding of WHO is your audience, WHAT is your role, and WHERE is the character from? All these question can help you to be more successful in mastering your English needs.
We know American English is different from British English or European English. But, as an actor playing a role, or a performer trying to reach their audience in different regions , it is being conscientious to try and grasp the regional stresses on words to be more effective.
FOR EXAMLE: The word PECAN ( a type of nut) is not only stressed differently, but it is also pronounced differently in different regions of the USA.
IMAGINE
You are performing in the Southern, USA. You are offered a slice of a local delicacy called pecan pie. You may know how to say thank you, but do you know how to pronounce "pecan” in the way that would please your host the best?
Try practicing the two ways os pronouncing “pecan” below. Emphasis or stress is placed on the bold sound/syllable.
PECAN stressed on the first syllable as pee-can “Thank you for the slice of pecan pie.”
or
peCAN stressed on the second syllable as p’can “Thank you for the slice of pecan pie.”
Can you hear the difference?Why does this matter more for Entertainers?
Dialects and accents vary. That is why It is incredibly important to know which pronunciation you need to use when acting an English speaking role, or reaching a particular audience.
Knowing your audience or your role, to the detail of regional dialect is important to be authentic and effective as an entertainer. Do you need to stress your syllables in American, British or other type of English expression? Also, what regional aspects need to be considered to speak authentically and not become confused, or confuse your audience?
I am an American but I lived in London, and Amsterdam for a time. As a native speaker of English, I learned a great deal while traveling regionally in the UK, Ireland, and Europe. Just as in the USA, regional accents, phrases, and stresses were varied and distinct. I am grateful for my time abroad as it has helped me to discover nuances, and develop techniques and insight into the English language that I may never have developed, had I not left the USA. This first-hand knowledge and experience is something special that I bring to all my clients.
Learning English can be stressful but English Starz can help you to apply the right stress for your success!
For more information on stress and pronunciation, I can recommend these interesting website articles below:
How to Stress Syllables in English50 Words People Pronounce Differently Across AmericaDo you have an interesting article on stress and pronunciation to share? Please leave a link in the comments below.
