This document provides an overview of the objectives and content covered in the Phonetics 290B course. The first module focuses on the vocal features of stress, rhythm, and intonation. Students will practice and analyze how these features can change the meaning of words and sentences. They will also compare the use of these features between English and Spanish. The goal is for students to understand the importance of stress, rhythm, and intonation in acquiring good pronunciation in English.

1. Stress, Rhythm and Intonation

2. Description
Phonetics 290 B is a course that reinforces the knowledge
acquired in Inglés 290 A and introduces the vowel sounds of
the English language. This course will be developed in
modules which let you learn it more effectively. The module
1 is focus on vocal features known as stress, rhythm and
intonation. These features will be practiced and analyzed to
appreciate the differences in meaning they can cause. First
of all the classes will begin with questioning and
brainstorming about what the students know about the
features. Second, the students will read and analyzed given
information as well as conversations they will hear and
“guess” or “interpret” the meaning of same sentences but
pronounced in different ways because of the features. This
way the students will appreciate how these features can
convey different meanings clearly even though they are the
same written sentences. The students will also compare
similarities and differences between English and Spanish by
using these features. At the end of the module the student
will be able to distinguish the differences between these
three features and their importance.

3. Objectives
- To study the importance of stress, rhythm and intonation to acquire
a good pronunciation in English.
- To appreciate how stress, rhythm and intonation change the
meaning of a word, sentence, message, etc.
- To analyze situations in which the meaning of a word or message
has changed because of the vocal features (stress, rhythm and
intonation).

4. What is stress?
Stress is the first vocal feature to be analyzed. Speakers must
stress some syllables in words. If they do not do it, the words will
be misunderstood or sound strange. Stress is used in Spanish.
Stress also occurs in English. “Pérmit” is different from “permít”.
“Her friend will presént you with a présent.” “I won’t clean the
GARDEN.” implies a meaning different from “I won’t CLEAN the
garden.” In other words, stress refers to the amount of volume
that a speaker gives to a particular sound, syllable, or word while
saying it. Stressed sounds and syllables are louder and longer
than unstressed ones.

5. What is stress?
The words accent, stress and emphasis are frequently
used interchangeably. A major characteristic of the English
language is the use of strong and weak stress. Every word
or more than one syllable has a syllable that is emphasized
more than the others. Accented syllables receive more force
and are louder than an unaccented ones. Correct use of
stress is essential for achieving proper pronunciation of
words.

6. What’s rhythm?
Rhythm is the second feature to be studied. Rhythm is
made by the strong stresses or beats in a sentence. In
English syllables can be reduced by rhythm. For example,
“ham and eggs” is squeezed into two words: ham’n eggs: “I
want to be” into I wanna be; “got you” … gotcha. The five
words “I will see you tomorrow” may be pronounced “I’llseeya
t’morrow”.

7. What is intonation?
Intonation is the responsible for the melody of the language.
Speakers frequently depend more on the intonation patterns
to convey their meaning than on the pronunciation of the
individual vowels and consonants. English Intonation is often
the same as Spanish. “You speak English. If your voice falls
you are making a statement. If your voice rises you are
making a question. So it’s not WHAT you say; it’s HOW
you say it!
Although your English grammar might be very well and you
can pronounce individual sounds correctly, you will still have
your particular foreign accent if you do not master the stress,
rhythm and intonation patterns of English.