Syllable Weight, Stress Patterns and Nativisation

This paper looks at stress assignation for unknown foreign words read aloud by Scottish subjects. The syllable structure and syllable weight of the written words is examined, to determine where stress is most likely to be placed according to English stress rules, and the stress rules for the languages of origin of the words are also described. The stress patterns in the spoken responses are then analysed to determine the innuence of syllable weight (both written and spoken), and the perceived language of origin of the word. Applicability of the ndings to a wider context is discussed.