stress-timed
Accents mark time
Stress-timed describes languages where stressed syllables occur at roughly equal intervals, regardless of how many unstressed syllables fall between them.
English is stress-timed—unstressed syllables get compressed or swallowed to maintain rhythm: I'm gonna go rather than I am going to go.
Contrasts with syllable-timed languages like Spanish, where each syllable takes similar time.
Device that measures usage
- iambTwo-syllable metrical foot
- trocheeStressed-then-unstressed foot
- anapestTrisyllabic metrical foot
- dactylFinger, toe, or verse foot
spondee · scansion · foot · blank verse · sprung rhythm
Rhythmic pulse or strike
- cadenceRhythmic pulse or pattern
- tempoRate of musical performance
- footLeg's lowest part
- regularityConsistent, predictable occurrence
Regional speech pattern
- intonationPitch variation in speech
- pitchFrequency of sound
- prominenceNotable status or visibility
- emphasisStress given to something
Britain's native tongue
Neutral unstressed vowel
- elisionDropped sounds in speech
- assimilationAbsorbing into a whole
- clippingPiece cut out
- neutralizationCanceling opposing forces
meter
Device that measures usage
dactyl · spondee · scansion · foot · blank verse · sprung rhythm
beat
Rhythmic pulse or strike
accent
Regional speech pattern
- intonationPitch variation in speech
- pitchFrequency of sound
- prominenceNotable status or visibility
English
Britain's native tongue
Arabic · Portuguese · Danish · Swedish · Norwegian · Farsi · Thai
schwa
Neutral unstressed vowel
- elisionDropped sounds in speech
- assimilationAbsorbing into a whole
- clippingPiece cut out
time, stress, distress, stressed, timer, distressed, timed, timing, distressing