Stress

[Alex]

Edward Dumanis wrote:

> incorrect. However, it means for a formal speech only since the very mark of p'onjala as incorrect indicates that sometimes it
> has been used.  So, the only question is when it can be used INTENTIONALLY by a native speaker who is aware of its incorrect

Well, I should say that often it is simply incorrect. More than that! Sometimes
educated people feel a bit uneasy to use the correct stress. Perhaps not to
sound like snobs...

The stress in Russian is not an easy thing even for a native speaker. It should be
taught of course. When I was a little boy my grandma bought special children's
books where every word was stressed. She was very keen on using good Russian.

Most words are pronounced by native speakers with correct stress only. That's why
you easy could spot a foreigner - stress, prepositions and phonetics are always
difficult to acquire even if you are able to use correct words and grammar.

But in modern Russian there are lots of words which native speakers pronounce
incorrect. I would say THE MAJORITY of native speakers...

Perhaps one of the most nasty words with incorrect stress in Russian is a verb for "call" or "phone"
when it is used in second or third person for present or future tenses both singular and plural. The
stress here is also shifted from the last syllabus to the first or second (if there is a prefix).
The funny thing is that
in the first person or in the past tense the verb is ALWAYS pronounced correct!
And when I wish to turn a speaker's attention to incorrect usage of the stress
I just use one of these forms - it always works!

Regards

Alex

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