Comparative analysis of word stress in English and Azerbaijani languages

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Baku Slavic University

Comparative analysis of word stress in English and Azerbaijani languages

Isayeva Aygun Khanoghlan PhD in philology

Azerbaijan

Summary

Language is the universal means of communication. Unlike other ways of transmitting and receiving information, a person uses a sound language, which has an important property. Revealing the specifics of the linguistic nature of prosodic units is the object of research by many domestic and foreign linguists.

Keywords: linguistic analysis, phonetic phenomena, structural features, Azerbaijani, English.

The comparative study of languages is a fruitful means of linguistic analysis. Languages can differ greatly in their accentological means. Knowledge of phonetic phenomena and the patterns of their functioning is a prerequisite for understanding foreign language statements and "voicing" one's own thoughts. The imperfection of pronunciation skills is often the cause of inaccurate or even incorrect understanding of foreign language speech. Due to its deep penetration into the structural features of languages, provides invaluably rich material for their structural and typological characteristics, and helps to identify typologically similar and specific phenomena in the compared languages [2].

The study of a foreign language is always associated with the study of pronunciation, phonetic originality. The Knowledge of phonetic phenomena and the patterns of their functioning is a prerequisite for understanding foreign language statements and "voicing" one's own thoughts. The imperfection of pronunciation skills is often the cause of inaccurate or even incorrect understanding of a foreign language speech. The comparative study of languages is a fruitful means of linguistic analysis. Due to deep penetration into the structural features of languages, the above mentioned imperfection provides invaluable material for their structural and typological characteristics, helps to identify typologically similar and specific phenomena in the compared languages [4].

Both in Azerbaijani and in English, stress performs a number of functions. In the Azerbaijani language, the main function of stress is demarcation; along with synharmonism, it performs culminative and constitutive functions; differentiating function is not proper. In English, the main functions of stress are culminative and constitutive: it serves as a word- and formative means. It also performs differentiating and delimiting functions. Compared from the standpoint of a function, stress can perform both a semantic function that serves as a means of distinguishing between different lexemes, and a form-distinguishing function.

Questions concerning the comparative typological study of languages of different systems are most in demand in linguistics: “Interest in the comparative study of languages is dictated by life itself, the need for practical study of languages and the use of the native language in order to facilitate the assimilation of the features of the second language being studied” [1, p. 108].

The phonetic-phonological level in linguistics precedes the other levels of the language system following it: vocabulary, morphology, syntax. The named level reflects the entire sound system of any particular language. The study of the sound system begins with the minimum units of the language - th e sounds of the language (phonemes) and the sounds of speech (allophones).

The analysis of Turkological literature devoted to instrumental supersegment studies indicates a lack of consensus on both the nature and localization of word stress. In the same language, some authors interpret stress as a constant, fixed on the final syllable, others mark it on the initial syllable of the word form, others see melodic stress on the first syllable and dynamic stress on the last. In general, the functioning of several types of word stress is stated in the Turkic languages: dynamic, tonic or combined - tonal-dynamic. On the basis of the place of stress, accentuation systems are distinguished with stress localized on the initial syllable, with stress on the final or one of the final syllables, with stress marking both the initial and final syllables. stress azerbaijani english

Stress (accent) is understood as the allocation by various phonetic means of one of the syllables in the composition of a word or phrase. Stress, as well as phoneme, is one of the ways to designate and distinguish words. There are many varieties of stress in different languages. In each individual language, stress as a super-segmental phonological means has its own structural-acoustic features, a stable combination of which forms what can be called “stress type". Word stress in English and Azerbaijani languages has some similarities and differences. In both languages, it does not exist in its pure form, but has a mixed character, since the dynamic principle [2] of highlighting a stressed syllable is supplemented by other principles: qualitative, quantitative and musical. In English, stress in most cases is the height component. From a phonetic point of view, the stress in the Azerbaijani language is dynamic. Stress in English, as well as in Azerbaijani, is an important means of combining a sequence of words into a single whole and highlighting one syllable of the speech flow against the background of others. Considering the general characteristics of word stress, we can conclude that stress is a sign of sounding speech. Word stress is a means of phonetically combining a word into a single whole. In English, word and phrasal stress are usually distinguished. This unifying function of word stress is carried out by highlighting one of the syllables in the word (stressed), which “subordinates" the rest (unstressed) [4].

In English, stress performs only a semantic function, for example: “increase - in'crease. The typological feature of the English language is the presence of the so- called secondary stress in polysyllabic words (secondary stress), for example, ,extra'ordinary, ,super'natural. The presence of secondary stress in English is associated with the special rhythmic nature of English speech, which is ensured by a clear alternation of stressed and stressed syllables both in a word and in a phrase. Thus, secondary stress in English performs another important function - rhythm forming.

In English, there are many techniques both in terms of identifying its typology and in terms of identifying its many functions. The nature of stress in the compared languages is similar, since it is mainly power, or dynamic (determined by the force of exhalation). However, there are some differences, for example, in English stress the height component prevails [5], and in Azerbaijani it is logical. In typological terms, English stress should be considered constant or fixed. The same should be said about the Azerbaijani language, where the stress is also considered to be bound or fixed.

According to the place of stress in the word, English and Azerbaijani languages differ significantly from each other. English stress can be considered typologically more fixed, since the vast majority of English disyllabic and trisyllabic words have stresses on the initial syllable: 'suphate, 'alkane, 'purity. The stress, as a rule, is preserved on the same syllable if word-building affixes are added to the root morpheme: 'nature - 'natural, 'power - 'powerful.

A distinct secondary stress in polysyllabic words (with more than four syllables) is a feature of English accentuation, in which the main stress falls on the second or third syllable from the end of the word: settle - 'settlement, 'interest - 'interesting, 'special - specially [5]. In English, stress serves as a means of distinguishing two words belonging to different parts of speech. In nouns, the stress usually falls on the first, and in verbs - on the second syllable: Eincrease - inEcrease, Eimport - imEport [5].

Depending on the purpose and attitude, there are the following types of stress - logical, power, neutral and transitional. Of these types in the Azerbaijani language, logical, transitional and power stress are predominant: sari, dan/yq, Eldeniz.

To emphasize words or word forms, the pronunciation of this word with a stronger stress is a logical stress. The place of logical stress is free, that is, it can fall on any word in the sentence. Transitional stress is explained by the rearrangement of the place of stress to indicate the relationship. This stress occurs mainly in exclamatory sentences. In the Azerbaijani language, the logical and transitional stress from a phonetic point of view refers to the dynamic, and the sensual stress refers to the tonic. Sensual stress is formed by an elongated pronunciation of one or two sounds in a word, which is an expression of the meaning of the word of the exciting speaker. In this case, a consonant is lengthened, in rare cases a vowel close to a consonant: qeddar, ax^am, qe^eng,yavayyava^ [3].

So, we can conclude that the comparative study of languages is a fruitful means of linguistic analysis, which is directly related to the development of the foundations of an effective methodology for teaching Azerbaijani-speaking people English pronunciation, allows us to take into account the typological differences of both languages, makes it possible to theoretically determine the difficulties that await students in the process of mastering them with English pronunciation, to make an appropriate selection of phonetic and phonological difficulties and to develop a sequence of studying sounds and the necessary system of exercises.

References

1. Ага-заде Н.Г. К вопросу сопоставительного изучения языков // Иностранные языки в школе, 1970, № 6, c.107-112

2. Аракин В.Д. Сравнительная типология английского и русского языков: Учеб. пособие для студентов пед. институтов / В.Д. Аракин. - Л.: Просвещение, 1979, 259 с.

3. Axundov A. Azarbaycan dilinin fonetikasi. Baki: Maarif, 1984, 391 s.

4. Фунтова И.Л. Сравнительно-сопоставительный анализ произношения гласных и согласных звуков и мест словесных ударений в английском и русском языках: Автор. дис. по филологии: 10.02.20 / И.А. Фунтова. М., 2005, 16 с.

5. European Journal of Science and Theology: On subtle distinctions between lingual communication and interlingual miscommunication / V.P. Nickolayev [et al.]. 2015. Т. 11. - №4. С.159-168.

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