Strong forms

[Rachel Adams]

Hello

What does the strong form of a word or verb stand for? For example:[FONT=&quot]BrE [FONT=&quot]/ðən/[/FONT]
[/FONT][FONT=&quot];[/FONT][FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot]NAmE [FONT=&quot]/ðən/[/FONT]
[/FONT][FONT=&quot];[/FONT][FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot]BrE strong form [FONT=&quot]/ðæn/[/FONT][/FONT]

 

[Rachel Adams]

The strong form is the stressed form.
The weak form is the unstressed form.

But where is the stress in the word 'than'? Do verbs also have strong and weak forms?

 

[Rachel Adams]

Verbs which have weak forms (including contractions) include:

am, is, are, being, been, do, does, did, have, has, had, can, could, shall, should, will, would, must

So only modal verbs, and to to be, to have, to do have weak and strong forms?

 

[jutfrank]

Several prepositions have strong and weak forms. Three notable examples:

of
for
from

 

[GoesStation]

Several prepositions have strong and weak forms. Three notable examples:

of
for
from

Here are two examples. I've set the strong prepositions in bold.

Of Mice and Men is one of many classic novels I haven't read.

From now on, you're going to hear from me every day.

 

[jutfrank]

Here are two examples. I've set the strong prepositions in bold.

Of Mice and Men is one of many classic novels I haven't read.

From now on, you're going to hear from me every day.

(I would likely naturally pronounce both of those in the weak way.)

As well as than, other conjunctions make good examples of strong/weak contrast. For example, and.

 

[Rachel Adams]

That sentence is almost incomprehensible. Mark out the words/phrases you are talking about. Here are two ways:

So only modal verbs, and to to be, to have, to do have weak and strong forms?

So only modal verbs, and to 'to be', 'to have', 'to do' have weak and strong forms?

These two sentences would be better as:

So only modal verbs and to to be, to have andto do have weak and strong forms?

So only modal verbs and to 'to be', 'to have' and 'to do' have weak and strong forms?

The answer to your question is 'mmmm...no'. When followed by 'to', the form 'going' is often produced in BrE as /ɡəʊn/ or /gən/.

Is 'so' in [FONT=&quot]BrE pronounced as [FONT=&quot]/səʊ/[/FONT] also an example of a weak form? How to recognize it in written English by an /ə/instead of /[FONT=&quot]oʊ/ ? [/FONT]
[/FONT]

 

[Rachel Adams]

No.
There are actually very few words in English that have strong and weak forms, Here is a list of most of them: https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/support-files/weak-forms-list.pdf

Some words in phonetic transcription are written in the same way, but they are not strong forms. That's what I find a little confusing. So when a speaker wants to stress the word ''than'' they use /ðæn/ not[FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot]/ðən/, [/FONT] and the /æ/ always shows the stress?

 

[Rachel Adams]

I'm not sure what you mean by that

No. It's the schwa in /ðən/ that shows the weak/unstressed pronunciation.

That's what I mean. It is always the /æ/ that shows the stress and never the schwa. Right?

 

[jutfrank]

The schwa is used in the weak forms.