Hostname: page-component-7bb8b95d7b-2h6rp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-10-04T04:17:49.567Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Three reasons for accenting a definite subject

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 November 2008

D. J. Allerton  and
A. Cruttenden
D. J. Allerton
Affiliation:
Department of Linguistics, University of Manchester
A. Cruttenden
Affiliation:
Department of Linguistics, University of Manchester
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

In 1971–72 a lengthy discussion took place in Language concerning sentence stress (alias nuclear stress, alias intonation nucleus placement) and its relationship to syntactic structure (Bresnan, 1971, 1972; Lakoff, 1972; Berman & Szamosi, 1972; Bolinger, 1972). Bolinger had the last word in stating that placement of the nuclear accent ‘is not explainable by syntax or morphology’ but ‘is a matter of information, not of structure’ (Bolinger, 1972: 633). According to this view words with low informational content (i.e. highly predictable) in a particular context or situation are unlikely to receive a nuclear stress, whereas words with high information content (i.e. highly unpredictable) are likely to receive a nuclear stress. In addition, ‘the speaker will put the main accent as far to the right as he dares, when assertive pressure is high’ (Bolinger, 1972: 644).

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Linguistics , Volume 15 , Issue 1 , March 1979 , pp. 49 - 53
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1979

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Allerton, D. J. (1978). The notion of givenness and its relation to presuppositions and to theme. Lingua 44. 133–168.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Allerton, D. J. & Cruttenden, A. (1976). The intonation of medial and final sentence adverbials in British English. ArchL 7. 29–59.Google Scholar
Allerton, D. J. & Cruttenden, A. (1978). Syntactic, illocutionary, thematic and attitudinal factors in the intonation of adverbials. Journal of Pragmatics 2.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berman, A. & Szamosi, M. (1972). Observations on sentential stress. Lg 48. 304–325.Google Scholar
Bolinger, D. L. (1972). Accent is predictable (if you're a mind-reader). Lg 48. 633–644.Google Scholar
Bresnan, J. W. (1971). Sentence stress and syntactic transformation. Lg 47. 257–280.Google Scholar
Bresnan, J. W. (1972). Stress and syntax: a reply. Lg 48. 326–342.Google Scholar
Chomsky, N. & Halle, M. (1968). The sound pattern of English. New York: Harper & Row.Google Scholar
Halliday, M. A. K. (1967). Intonation and grammar in British English. The Hague: Mouton.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Halliday, M. A. K. (1970). Language structure and language function. In Lyons, J. (ed.), New horizons in linguistics. Harmondsworth: Penguin.Google Scholar
Schmerling, S. F. (1974). A re-examination of ‘normal’ stress. Lg 50. 66–73.Google Scholar
Schmerling, S. F. (1976). Aspects of English sentence stress. Austin: University of Texas Press.Google Scholar
Wittgenstein, L. (1958). The blue and brown books. Oxford: Blackwell.Google Scholar