Survey (pronunciation)
From Hull AWE
Revision as of 21:33, 20 August 2015 by PeterWilson (Talk | contribs)
The word survey is pronounced with different stress as a noun and as verb.
- The noun 'a survey' has the stress on the first syllable: 'SUR-vey', IPA: /ˈsɜːr veɪ/.
- The verb 'to survey' has the stress on the second syllable: 'ser-VEY', IPA: /ˌsɜːr ˈveɪ/.
- You may also want to see AWE's article on survey and surveillance - and the non-existent verb 'to
surveil
- You may also want to see AWE's article on survey and surveillance - and the non-existent verb 'to
Note
- This pattern of shifting stress in words that look identical but belong to two separate word classes is quite common in English.
- Quirk (1985) (Appendix I.56 B) describes the most common: "When verbs of two syllables are converted into nouns, the stress is sometimes shifted from the second to the first syllable. The first syllable, typically a Latin prefix, often has a reduced vowel /ə/ in the verb but a full vowel in the noun: He was con-VICT-ed (IPA: /kən ˈvɪkt ɪd/) of theft, and so became a CON vict (IPA: /ˈkɒn vɪkt/)" [AWE's rendition of IPA].
- There follows a list of some 57 "words having end-stress as verbs but initial stress as nouns in Br[itish] E[nglish]." Note that "in Am[erican] E[nglish], many have initial stress as verbs also". Quirk's list is the foundation of AWE's category:shift of stress. Additions have been made from, amongst others, Fowler, 1926-1996.
- Quirk (1985) (Appendix I.56 B) describes the most common: "When verbs of two syllables are converted into nouns, the stress is sometimes shifted from the second to the first syllable. The first syllable, typically a Latin prefix, often has a reduced vowel /ə/ in the verb but a full vowel in the noun: He was con-VICT-ed (IPA: /kən ˈvɪkt ɪd/) of theft, and so became a CON vict (IPA: /ˈkɒn vɪkt/)" [AWE's rendition of IPA].
- This pattern of shifting stress in words that look identical but belong to two separate word classes is quite common in English.
