[Lexicog] Phonolexical re-interpretations

[Fritz Goerling]

 In Swiss German the stress is more often on the first syllable than in High
German
(gárage as opposed to garáge). Sometimes even on the zero-th syllable like
in family names preceded by "von". The Swiss Germans would put the emPHAsis
on VON Allmen or VON Stirnimaa (well, maybe not with Stirnimaa).

Fritz Goerling

  Do you ever get stressed out with stress? I usually encounter stress
  problems when I visit Singapore.

  Some of the classic examples I remember were: once on the MRT the
announcer
  said, "Next stop is laVENder." I had to look on the station map to see
that
  it was "lavender". Once in a shop the assistant asked me if I wanted to
buy
  a sooVINj at . It took several repeats before I figured out what she wanted
me
  to buy was a "souvenir". The stress difficulties also worked the other
way.
  I once asked for directions to SErangoon and the person didn't know what I
  was talking about. Later I realised I should have asked how to get to
  seRANgoon.

  I think with Singlish it is the combination of English lexicon with Malay
  stress patterns that is the main cause of the phonolexical mismatches. And
  also we don't write stress in English.

  Do you ever get the emPHAsis in the wrong place?

  John Roberts


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