Help:IPA/Conventions for English: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 20:48, 26 March 2019

Revision as of 20:49, 26 March 2019

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Stress need not be included in the notation of a monosyllabic word since it is self-evident. In phrases, however, it is advised to include stress even of a monosyllabic word because a lack of stress may indicate a different pronunciation than intended. For example, in the name [[Zack de la Rocha]], ''Zack'' and ''Rocha'' have stress, but ''de la'' does not: {{IPAc-en|ˈ|z|æ|k|_|d|ɛ|l|ə|_|ˈ|r|oʊ|tʃ|ə}}. It would therefore convey an incorrect pronunciation to leave the stress mark off ''Zack.''

Dictionaries also disagree on secondary stress. Generally, any stressed syllable prior to the last is marked as secondary ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|z|æ|k|_|d|ɛ|l|ə|_|ˈ|r|oʊ|tʃ|ə}}), and that conventionOED2 is followed here. However, several dictionaries also mark full (unreduced) vowels as having secondary stress when they come after the primary stress, even though they are not actually stressed: ''cerebrate,'' dict.com {{IPA|/ˈsɛrəˌbreɪt/}}, OED2 {{IPA|(ˈsɛrɪbreɪt)}}. This practice is avoided on Wikipedia; if you have a word transcribed {{IPA|/ˈCVˌCV/}}, it should probably be {{IPA|/ˈCVCV/}}: {{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|ɛr|ɪ|b|r|eɪ|t}}.

OED2 does not indicate stress on monosyllables, but uses the stress mark to disambiguate disyllables: ''higher'' ({{IPA|ˈhaɪə(r)}}) vs. ''hire'' ({{IPA|haɪə(r)}}). On WP, the distinction is made with the aid of the syllabification mark: {{IPAc-en|ˈ|h|aɪ|.|ər}}, {{IPAc-en|h|aɪər}}.

Dictionaries also disagree on secondary stress. Generally, any stressed syllable prior to the last is marked as secondary ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|z|æ|k|_|d|ɛ|l|ə|_|ˈ|r|oʊ|tʃ|ə}}), and that convention is followed here. However, several dictionaries also mark full (unreduced) vowels as having secondary stress when they come after the primary stress, even though they are not actually stressed: ''cerebrate,'' dict.com {{IPA|/ˈsɛrəˌbreɪt/}}, OED2 {{IPA|(ˈsɛrɪbreɪt)}}. This practice is avoided on Wikipedia; if you have a word transcribed {{IPA|/ˈCVˌCV/}}, it should probably be {{IPA|/ˈCVCV/}}: {{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|ɛr|ɪ|b|r|eɪ|t}}.

==References==