L2 Word Stress Learning

Bibliographic Data

ID23661941
AuthorsMarta Ortega-Llebaria (0000-0003-1637-3541, corresponding author), Marta Ortega‐Llebaria
Year2025
Pages1-7
Publication date2025-12-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeCHAPTER
VenueEncyclopedia of Applied Linguistics (SOURCE_BOOK)
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/9781405198431.wbeal20628
OpenAlexW4416917812
ISBN9781405198431
LanguageEN
References cited21

Word stress, the placing of emphasis through greater volume or duration on a particular syllable in a word, differs across languages. In some languages, word stress is predictably and consistently placed on a particular syllable of every word. However, in other languages, word stress is variable and therefore unpredictable, and the meaning of a word may indeed change depending on where the stress is located. This raises the question of whether speakers of a fixed‐stress language will encounter difficulties learning languages where stress is variable, and vice versa. This question has been investigated from two perspectives, second language acquisition (SLA) and second language pronunciation teaching (SLPT). While SLA research investigates whether L2 stress is learnable, the factors that condition its learnability, and how the learning of stress compares to the learning of other L2 word prominences such as pitch‐accent and tones, SLPT research explores teaching practices and methodologies in terms of their appropriateness and effectiveness.

Language acquisition · Meaning (existential) · Pronunciation · Second-language acquisition · Stress (linguistics) · Syllable · Word (group theory)

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