# 2.3.2. 重音（Stress）

当一个词汇由一个以上的音节构成之时，其中的某个音节可能带有重音（*stress*），在音标中使用 `ˈ` 作为标记。

When a word contains more than one syllable, one of those syllables may carry the *stress*, marked by `ˈ` in phonetic notation.

有些时候，同样的词汇，因**重音位置**不同会产生**词义**或**词性**的变化。比如，*address*, `/ˈæˌdrɛs/` 是名词，“地址”；`/əˈdrɛs/` 是动词，“强调”；再比如，*record*，可以读作 `/ˈrɛkərd/` 或 `/rɪˈkɔrd/`，前者是名词，后者是动词。

At times, the same word can bear different meanings or parts of speech due to the varying placement of the *stress*. For example, the word *address* when pronounced as `/ˈæˌdrɛs/` is a *noun*, meaning *place of residence*. However, when pronounced as `/əˈdrɛs/`, it is a *verb*, indicating to *highlight* or *bring attention to*. And *record* can be pronounced as `/ˈrɛkərd/` or `/rɪˈkɔːd/`. The former is a *noun*, while the latter is a *verb*.

一个多音节词汇中，最多只有一个重音音节，但，可能还有另外一些音节是**次重音**（*secondary stress*），在音标中使用 `ˌ` 作为标记。比如，*serendipity* `/ˌserənˈdɪpɪti/`，有一个**重音**和一个**次重音**。而 *[Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis)* 总计有 19 个音节，其中 7 个是次重音，唯一的重音是 `oʊ`……

In a multisyllabic word, there is *only one* syllable with *primary stress*. However, there may be other syllables with *secondary stress*, marked by `ˌ` in phonetic notation. For instance, *serendipity* `/ˌserənˈdɪpɪti/` has one primary stress and one secondary stress. On the other hand, the word *[Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis)* consists of *19* syllables in total, with *7* carrying secondary stress and the *sole* primary stress falling on `oʊ`.

在学习英文的时候，亚洲人特别需要注意的是，要从心理上纠正一个对应关系，“英文音节 - 字”，而不是 “英文单词 - 字” —— 亚洲文字，无论是中文、日文还是韩文，所有的字都是单音节构成。

What Asian learners of English must be especially mindful of is to mentally correct the correlation from "*English syllable - Asian Character*" instead of "English word - Asian Character". This is because all characters in Asian languages, whether Chinese, Japanese, or Korean, are composed of single syllables.

*individual* `/ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒəwəl/` 这一个单词，总计 *5* 个音节，即，相当于 *5* 个汉字的长度…… 对比以下句子的音节数量：

The word *individual* `/ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒəwəl/` has a total of *5* syllables, which is equivalent to the length of *5* Chinese characters. Consider the comparison between the number of syllables in the following sentences

> * 人们看法各不相同。`[Rénmen kànfǎ gè bù xiāngtóng]` —— 总计 *8* 个字，*8* 个音节。
> * 人们看法各不相同。`[Rénmen kànfǎ gè bù xiāngtóng]` - *8 characters in Chinese, 8 syllables*.
> * People's opinions vary from individual to individual. `/ˈpipəlz əˈpɪnjənz ˈvɛri frəm ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒəwəl tə ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒəwəl/` —— 总计 *7* 个单词，*19* 个音节。
> * People's opinions vary from individual to individual. `/ˈpipəlz əˈpɪnjənz ˈvɛri frəm ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒəwəl tə ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒəwəl/` - *7* words in English, *19* syllables.

这个对应关系的纠正很重要，因为这个对应关系在最底层影响连贯声音的理解方式。

Recognizing this correlation is crucial as it fundamentally affects how we comprehend the flow of sounds in a sentence.

另外一个重点在于，英文的音节有**重音**、**次重音**、**非重音**的区别，这一点也和亚洲语言明显不同。

Another crucial point is that English syllables have varying degrees of stress: *primary stress*, *secondary stress*, and the *unstressed*, which is noticeably different from Asian languages.

5 个汉字（或者日文字、韩文字）排在一起大概是这样的：

When 5 Chinese characters (or Japanese or Korean characters) are lined up, it might look like this:

![5-chars](/images/5-chars.svg)

但，由 5 个音节构成的词汇 *individual* 相应应该是这样的：

However, the word *individual*, which is composed of 5 syllables, would likely be represented like this:

![5-syllables](/images/5-syllables.svg)

英语里除了**重音**、**次重音**、**非重音**之外，还有**弱音**，比如被弱化成 `ə` 的 *schwa*。

In English, in addition to primary stress, secondary stress, and unstressed syllables, we also have weakly pronounced syllables, like the schwa (`ə`) sound that occurs when syllables are reduced.

细细体会 *individual* `/ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒəwəl/` 这个词，如果每个音节都清晰地用同样的强度读出来的话，应该是 `/ɪn-dɪ-vɪ-dʒju-əl/`…… 这里面，第 2 个音节 `/dɪ/`里的元音 `ɪ` 被弱化为 `ə`；另外，第 4 个音节 `/dʒju/` 里的元音 `ju` 也被弱化成了 `ə`，但保留了 `u` 的音色；而处于音节末尾的 `l`，之前自带着轻微的 `ə`，于是连成了很轻的 `wᵊl`……

Let's dig deep into the word *individual*, for example, it's pronounced as `/ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒəwəl/`. If each syllable was placed equal stress, it would sound something like /ɪn-dɪ-vɪ-dʒju-əl/... Within this pronunciation, the vowel `ɪ` in the second syllable `/dɪ/` is reduced to the schwa sound, `ə`; likewise, the vowel `ju` in the fourth syllable `/dʒju/` is also reduced to `ə`, but retains the coloration of `u`. The `l` at the end of the syllable, which originally carries a slight `ə` sound, thus becomes a very light `wᵊl`...

![5-syllables-individual](/images/5-syllables-individual.svg)

英文的元音有长短之分。需要注意的是：当一个**短元音**构成的**音节**是**重音**的时候，该音节会自然而然读得更长一些，比如 *city* 或者 *silly* 之中的第一个重音音节 `/ˈsɪ/` —— 可能是因为 `s` 音拉得更长；再比如，*Thanks, I owe you a big one.* 这句话里的 *big* —— 可能是因为 `bɪg` 这个词（**音节**）的**音调**（pitch, [3.5.1](3.5.1-pitch)）拉高，或者干脆是 `ɪ` 这个**短元音**拉长……

In English, vowel sounds can vary in length. It's interesting to note that when a syllable with a short vowel sound is *stressed*, it's naturally pronounced a bit longer. For example, the first stressed syllable in words like *city* or *silly*, `/ˈsɪ/` may be extended due to the drawn-out `s` sound. Similarly, the word *big* in the sentence "*Thanks, I owe you a big one*," may be elongated because the pitch of the syllable `bɪg` is raised or simply because the short vowel `ɪ` is stretched out.

注意，同样一个单词，重音放在不同的音节，可能会改变其词性，比如以下常见词汇：

Note, the same word, when pronounced with stress on different syllables, can change its part of speech. Consider the following common words as examples:

| Noun | Verb |
| ---- | ---- |
| 'conflict| con'flict |
| 'record| re'cord |
| 'digest| di'gest |
| 'convert| con'vert |
| 'permit| per'mit |
| 'subject| sub'ject |
| 'rebel| re'bel |
| 'conduct| con'duct |