Phonology - Weak and strong / Stress and unstressed.

[Alex.Rosellini]

Hello,

I am currently working on a final of English phonetic for my second year in college, and find myself curious about a particular point. The teacher wrote:


• If the final syllable is strong, then it’s stressed: – apply /ə’plaɪ/ adore /ə’dɔː/ : weak + strong (VV) – a1ract /ə’trækt/ assist /ə’sɪst/: weak + strong (VCC) – rotate /rəʊ’teɪt/ maintain /meɪn’teɪn/: strong + strong (VVC)


I had always been under the impression that a strong syllable would be stressed under any circumstances, so it seemed rather obvious, but then he wrote

• A final strong syllable does not necessarily attract stress unless the penult is weak:

Which lost me on how strong and weak syllables work in the first place. Some help would be appreciated;

thank you in advance.

 

[jutfrank]

I assume your teacher is implying that there are syllables that are neither strong nor weak.

An example would be the first syllable in automata, which is not weak and which does not carry stress.

Remember that your teacher is there to address any questions you have about what he/she teaches.