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Help students understand the effects of stress and intonation on meaning from "summary" of Teaching American English Pronunciation - Oxford Handbooks for Language Teachers by Susan Ehrlich,Peter Avery
Understanding the effects of stress and intonation on meaning is crucial for language learners. Stress refers to the emphasis placed on certain syllables within words or on certain words within sentences. This emphasis can change the meaning of a word or sentence. For example, "present" can be a noun with stress on the first syllable, meaning a gift, or a verb with stress on the second syllable, meaning to show. Intonation, on the other hand, refers to the rise and fall of pitch in speech. It can indicate the speaker's attitude, emotions, or the structure of a sentence. For instance, a rising intonation at the end of a sentence can turn a statement into a question. Thus, stress and intonation play a significant role in conveying meaning in spoken language. When teaching pronunciation, it is essential to highlight the impact of stress and intonation on meaning. By doing so, students can better grasp the nuances of spoken English and communicate effectively. Stress can help learners distinguish between homographs or words that are spelled the same but have different meanings. For instance, consider the word "record." Depending on which syllable is stressed, it can refer to a vinyl disc or the act of documenting something. Intonation, on the other hand, can convey sarcasm, surprise, or uncertainty. By understanding how pitch patterns affect meaning, students can interpret spoken language more accurately. To help students master stress and intonation, teachers can incorporate various activities into their lessons. For stress, drills focusing on word pairs with differing stress patterns can be beneficial. Students can practice saying the words aloud with the correct emphasis to understand how stress alters meaning. When it comes to intonation, exercises involving sentence stress and pitch patterns can enhance students' comprehension. By listening to and imitating different intonation patterns, learners can learn to convey different attitudes and emotions in their speech.- Stress and intonation are vital aspects of pronunciation that significantly impact the meaning of spoken language. By helping students understand how stress and intonation influence meaning, teachers can enhance their students' communication skills and overall language proficiency. Incorporating activities that focus on stress and intonation can aid learners in mastering these concepts and becoming more proficient speakers of American English.
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