American English Phonetics
Another American English Faculty Project
3.1 The stress in homographs
Homographs.
There are many instances in English of nouns that are written in the same way as verbs, like an insult and to insult, and of adjectives that are spelled the same as verbs, like absent and to absent. In the majority of such homographic pairs the noun or adjective is stressed on the first syllable, the verb on the second. Notice that as a result of the different placing of the stress, the verb often has different vowels from the noun or adjective.
The list below is a selection of such pairs. The verb is always placed under the noun or adjective; when the first word is an adjective, or an adjective and a noun, this is indicated accordingly; when no indication is given it is only a noun. In the third column a variety of glosses will be found, sometimes a Dutch translation, sometimes an example in English. By combining the pronunciation with the meaning, or one of the meanings, of the words in this way you will find it easier to learn them. In some cases, one of the members of a pair may be relatively rare or formal: these are marked (form). Alternatives are given in parentheses.
| absent (adj.) | æbsnt | afwezig |
| əbˈsɛnt | to ~ oneself from a meeting | |
| abstract (n/adj.) | ˈæbstrækt | resumé; abstract schilderij |
| əbˈstrækt | with an abstracted air: ietwat afwezig | |
| accent | ˈæksɛnt (-snt) | to speak with an ~ |
| ækˈsɛnt (ək-) | the accented syllable | |
| addict | ˈædɪkt | Dutch: (een) junkie |
| əˈdɪkt | usu: to get/ become addicted (to) | |
| affix | ˈæfɪks | un- and -less are affixes |
| əˈfɪks | to ~ a stamp to a letter (form) | |
| ally | ˈælaɪ | The Allies (= The Allied Powers) |
| əˈlaɪ | to join by agreement (form) | |
| but: | ˈælaɪd | (used before nouns) Allied Breweries |
| attribute | ˈætrɪbjuːt | eigenschap, kenmerk |
| əˈtrɪbjuːt | ~ to: iets toeschrijven aan | |
| combine | ˈkɑːmbaɪn | association (e.g. of business companies) |
| kəmˈbaɪn | combineren | |
| compound (n/adj.) | ˈkɑːmpaʊnd | samenstelling; samengesteld |
| kəmˈpaʊnd | samenstellen, combineren, erger maken | |
| compress | ˈkɑːmprɛs | compres |
| kəmˈprɛs | samendrukken, comprimeren | |
| concert | ˈkɑːnsərt | a pop ~ |
| kənˈsɜrt | concerted action | |
| conduct | ˈkɑːndʌkt | gedrag |
| kənˈdʌkt | to ~ an orchestra | |
| conflict | ˈkɑːnflɪkt | armed conflict |
| kənˈflɪkt | conflicting evidence | |
| consort | ˈkɑːnsɔrt | Prince Consort: prins-gemaal |
| kənˈsɔrt | to ~ with animals | |
| contest | ˈkɑːntɛst | a beauty ~ |
| kənˈtɛst | to ~ an election | |
| contract | ˈkɑːntrækt | to sign a ~ |
| kənˈtrækt | samentrekken, oplopen (ziekte) | |
| contrast | ˈkɑːntræst | a sharp ~ |
| kənˈtræst | contrasting colors | |
| converse | ˈkɑːnvɜrs | tegenovergestelde |
| kənˈvɜrs | converseren | |
| convert | ˈkɑːnvɜrt | bekeerling |
| kənˈvɜrt | bekeren, om-, verbouwen | |
| convict | ˈkɑːnvɪkt | veroordeelde |
| kənˈvɪkt | veroordelen (rechtspraak) | |
| decrease | ˈdiːkriːs | a ~ in the number of accidents |
| dɪkriːs | prices have decreased | |
| defect | ˈdiːfɛkt | defekt |
| dɪˈfɛkt | overlopen (naar vijand) | |
| desert | ˈdɛzɜrt | a desert island; (noun) woestijn |
| dɪˈzɜrt | verlaten | |
| digest | ˈdaɪd͡ʒɛst | samenvatting; Reader’s ~ |
| dɪˈd͡ʒɛst (daɪ-) | verteren (voedsel) | |
| discount | ˈdɪskaʊnt | korting |
| dɪˈskaʊnt | geen waarde/ geloof hechten aan | |
| escort | ˈɛskɔrt | under police ~ |
| ɪˈskɔrt | escorted by police | |
| excise | ˈɛksaiz | accijns |
| ɛkˈsaiz (ɪk-) | uitsnijden | |
| export | ˈɛkspɔrt | ~ promotion |
| ɪkˈspɔrt | to ~ agricultural products | |
| extract | ˈɛkstrækt | id; excerpt |
| ɪkˈstrækt | to ~ a tooth; excerperen | |
| incense | ˈɪnsɛns | wierook |
| ɪnˈsɛns | (form) to be incensed (enraged) | |
| frequent | ˈfriːkwənt | a ~ visitor |
| frɪˈkwɛnt | (vaak) bezoeken (club, pub, etc.) | |
| import | ˈɪmpɔrt | ~ restrictions |
| imˈpɔrt | to ~ raw materials | |
| increase | ˈɪŋkriːs | an ~ in the rate of inflation |
| ɪŋˈkriːs | to ~ somebody’s wages | |
| insult | ˈɪnsʌlt | to add ~ to injury |
| ɪnˈsʌlt | to ~ the headmaster | |
| object | ˈɑːbd͡ʒɪkt (-d͡ʒɛkt | the direct ~ |
| əbˈd͡ʒɛkt | to ~ to something | |
| perfect (adj.) | ˈpɜrfɪkt | nobody’s ~ |
| pərˈfɛkt | to ~ one’s English | |
| permit | ˈpɜrmɪt | a work ~ |
| pərˈmɪt | weather permitting | |
| present (n/adj.) | prɛznt | a wedding ~ |
| prɪˈzɛnt | (form) to ~ somebody with gold watch | |
| produce | ˈproʊduːs | opbrengst, produkten (agrarisch) |
| prəˈduːs | to ~ the necessary papers | |
| progress | ˈprɑːgrɛs | to make little ~ |
| prəˈgrɛs | we’re progressing slowly | |
| project | ˈprɑːd͡ʒɛkt | an interesting ~ |
| prəˈd͡ʒɛkt | to ~ a slide on a screen | |
| prospect | ˈprɑːspɛkt | a job with good prospects |
| prəˈspɛkt | to ~ for gold (goud zoeken) | |
| rebel | rɛbl | the rebels took control of the town |
| rɪˈbɛl | to ~ rebel against authority | |
| record | ˈrɛkərd | to break a ~, a gramophone ~ |
| rɪˈkɔrd | registreren | |
| refuse | ˈrɛfjuːs | (note the final /s/) afval, vuilnis |
| rɪˈfjuːz | weigeren | |
| segment | ˈsɛgmənt | the ~ of a circle |
| sɛgˈmɛnt | to ~ an orange into six pieces | |
| subject | ˈsʌbd͡ʒɪkt (-ɛkt) | the ~ of a sentence |
| səbˈd͡ʒɛkt | to ~ a soldier into discipline | |
| survey | ˈsɜrveɪ | overzicht |
| sərˈveɪ | to ~ the field of linguistics | |
| suspect | ˈsʌspɛkt | verdacht(e) |
| səˈspɛkt | vermoeden, verdenken | |
| torment | ˈtɔrmənt | he was a ~ to his teacher |
| tɔrˈmɛnt | martelen, kwellen | |
| transfer | ˈtrænsfər | the ~ of a footballer |
| trænˈsfɜr | to ~ a footballer to another club | |
| transport | ˈtrænspɔrt | London transport |
| trænˈspɔrt | to ~ passengers from A to B |
In some words of three syllables, the noun is stressed on the first, the verb on the last syllable:
| interchange | ˈɪntərt͡ʃeɪnd͡ʒ | railway interchange |
| ɪntərˈt͡ʃeɪnd͡ʒ | ||
| overhaul | ˈoʊvərhɑːl | revisie (van motor) |
| oʊvərˈhɑːl | reviseren |
In quite a number of other cases, however, the noun and the verb have the same pronunciation:
| combat | ˈkɑːmbæt | fight |
| comment | ˈkɑːmɛnt | commentaar (geven) |
| debate | dɪˈbeɪt | debat(teren) |
| disgrace | dɪsˈgreɪs | schande; uit de gratie vallen |
| disguise | dɪsˈgaɪz | vermomming; vermommen |
| dispute | dɪˈspjuːt | (/’d?spju?t/ is also heard for the noun) |
| exhaust | ɪgˈzɑːst | uitlaat; uitputten |
| exile | ˈɛksaɪl (gz) | banneling, verbanning, verbannen |
| interview | ˈɪntərvjuː | |
| menace | ˈmɛnəs | bedreiging; (be)dreigen |
| process | ˈprɑːsɛs | process; verwerken, conserveren |
| purchase | ˈpɜrt͡ʃəs | buy |
| reprimand | ˈrɛprɪmænd (rɛprɪˈmænd) | berisping; berispen |
| resort | rəˈzɔrt | a seaside ~ (badplaats); to ~ to violence |
| volunteer | vɑːlənˈtɪr | (zich als) vrijwilliger (opgeven) |
A small number of similar regularities may be noted, although they do not concern the position of the stress:
- The spelling -ate represents /ət/ in a noun or adjective, but /eɪt/ in a verb; in either case the stress falls on the third syllable from the end of the word. For example, intimate is pronounced /ˈɪntəmət/ when it is a noun or adjective, but /ˈɪntəmeɪt/ when it is a verb ((in bedekte termen) te kennen geven). Other examples are associate (/əˈsoʊʃɪət/ and /əˈsoʊʃɪeɪt/), desolate, duplicate, estimate, graduate (/ˈgræd͡ʒuət/, a university graduate, and /ˈgræd͡ʒueɪt/, to obtain a university degree), moderate and separate. (In some cases the noun or adjective has an alternative pronunciation with /-eɪt/: candidate, magistrate. Designate (as in the minister designate, i.e. not yet officially appointed) only has /-eɪt/.)
- The spelling –use represents /juːs/ in a noun or adjective, but /juːz/ in a verb. Abuse, for example, is pronounced /əˈbjuːz/ when it is a verb (misbruiken). Other examples are diffuse (adjective: diffuus, indirekt (licht); wijdlopig; verb: uitstralen, verstrooien), excuse and use. For used to see PL.