| Yes and No. | | | | depends who you ask!" |
| Yes, if you are a non-native speaker speaking to | | | | Stress indicates different meanings of identical |
| a native English speaker (classified as English | | | | words |
| speakers from the UK, Australia, New Zealand | | | | In one case however, word stress can cause |
| and North America). | | | | problems whether you are a native speaker or |
| No, if you are a non-native English speaker | | | | non-native speaker of English: words which are |
| speaking to another non-native speaker (classified | | | | spelled the same, but have different meanings |
| as... everybody else). | | | | (and different word stress). |
| Let me explain. | | | | A pilot once told me a story about a member of |
| English language teaching theory has traditionally | | | | his cabin crew informing him that they had an |
| been based on native English forms, more | | | | inVALid passenger on board. The pilot was a bit |
| specifically British and American English varieties. In | | | | confused and wondered if the passenger didn't |
| today's international community however, where | | | | have a ticket or wasn't on the roster. He couldn't |
| more than 1 billion non-native English speakers use | | | | figure out what the problem was. Is wasn't until |
| English as a lingua franca, teaching theory is | | | | the flight attendant continued to explain that the |
| changing to focus on English as an International | | | | passenger was in a wheel chair and had special |
| Language (EIL). | | | | needs that the pilot realized he meant to say |
| According to linguist Jennifer Jenkins' research on | | | | INvalid! |
| the English language, there are certain factors in | | | | This is a perfect example of how inaccurate word |
| English pronunciation that can influence the degree | | | | stress can cause problems. And in this case, both |
| of intelligibility between a speaker and listener. | | | | the pilot and the flight attendant were non-native |
| Word stress is one of these factors if you are | | | | English speakers. |
| speaking with a native English speaker, but Jenkins | | | | Stress indicates parts of speech |
| has found that when two non-native speakers | | | | Word stress can also differentiate a word's part |
| interact in EIL, word stress has little influence on | | | | of speech - more specifically whether the word is |
| intelligibility. | | | | a noun or a verb. There are many examples of |
| So why are native speakers so stressed about | | | | words which in their noun form take their stress |
| word stress? | | | | on the first syllable, but in the verb form are |
| Stress indicates identity | | | | stressed on the second syllable. |
| Anyone who has ever zapped between BBC and | | | | Say the following words out loud: PROgress - |
| CNN has probably noticed the differences | | | | proGRESS, OBject - obJECT, REcord - reCORD. |
| between standard British and standard American | | | | We would never say, "She wants to REcord a |
| word stress. It has caused quite a CONtroversy | | | | REcord one day," but rather, "reCORD a REcord." |
| (US), or should I say, "conTROVersy" (UK). | | | | Unfortunately this isn't a blanket rule, and there |
| To a native English speaker, a certain word stress | | | | are plenty of English words which sound the same |
| is considered appropriate or inappropriate | | | | both as verbs and as nouns: travel, picture, |
| depending on where the person is from. | | | | promise and visit are a few examples. |
| "Inappropriate" word stress can really rub listeners | | | | So what is the non-native English speaker to do? I |
| the wrong way because it deviates from their | | | | always recommend sticking to the form you are |
| norm and indicates that the speaker is an "other" | | | | most comfortable with. You might make an |
| - an outsider. This can be quite FRUStrating (US) | | | | American VIP cringe when you call him a |
| frusTRATing (UK) for the non-native speaker | | | | DIGnitary instead of a DIGniTARy, but he'll also |
| who is just trying to get his point across. | | | | cringe when you call French fries "chips" and |
| After hours spent in a language LABoratory (US), | | | | cookies "biscuits!" |
| or laBORatory (UK) if you prefer, non-native | | | | Communication is a two-way street with |
| English speakers are still at a loss when it comes | | | | compromise and understanding at both ends. If |
| to speaking to native speakers internationally. | | | | you meet people who can't accept the way you |
| "So which variety is correct?" This is the most | | | | speak, then they're probably not worth speaking |
| common question I am asked in my language | | | | with anyway! |
| courses. And I always have the same answer, "It | | | | |