Stress in linguistics refers to the emphasis or prominence given to a particular syllable within a word. This emphasis can be achieved through:
* Increased loudness: The stressed syllable is spoken louder than other syllables.
* Increased pitch: The stressed syllable has a higher pitch than other syllables.
* Increased duration: The stressed syllable is held for a longer time than other syllables.
For example, in the word "beautiful", the first syllable "beau" is stressed. This means it is spoken louder, with a higher pitch, and held for a longer duration than the other syllables.
Other related terms:
* Accent: Refers to the prominence of a particular syllable in a word, but it also includes the overall intonation pattern of a word.
* Emphasis: Similar to stress, but can also refer to highlighting a particular word in a sentence for emphasis.
* Prosody: Refers to the rhythm, stress, and intonation of spoken language.
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