How to show emphasis on a certain part of a word

[Roscoe]

I am wondering if there is some sort of mark to show which part of a word is to be emphasised. For example, the French use the cedilla, the acute, the circumflex, the grave and the trema to indicate the different ways to pronounce their words. Do we have anything to show emphasis in English?

In particular, I am hearing the word "controversy" pronounced on the TVNZ news lately, the American way, whereas I was brought up with the English pronunciation which has the emphasis on the "-trov-" rather than on the "contro" part of the word as the Americans do. Unfortunately, TV has a great influence on our pronunciation and it seems that the more easily influenced among us learn from the TV rather than from their parents or school teachers. The Kiwi way of speaking is being taken over by the American way. We are losing our unique way of speaking. We'll be talking with an American twang next.

[piroska]

By writing it like this:


kuhn·tro·vuh·see

kuhn·tro·ver·see

[piroska]

My pet hate is cervical.

Rhymes with magical.....but yet many pronounce it

cer VIKE al.

Grrrr..

[Zippity]

Oh, you mean like Wai te MATAR as in Auckland's Harbour?

[Roscoe]

Oh, you mean like Wai te MATAR as in Auckland's Harbour?

That's TVNZ's pronunciation, but in the 58 years that I have been in Auckland it has always been pronounced as it is written: "why ti matter."

And, in any case, I have been led to understand that in maori they don't emphasise any part of a word. It's all the same. But so far as that's concerned, it does not matter. English is the languague of New Zealand.

[piroska]

Why Tea Marter?
English is the "most" commonly used language worldwide you mean...not actually the most speakers in the world of a language...but it has become the default trading language.

And due to it's origins and the spread around the world, should we be surprised at divergence in pronouncing stuff or even morphing definitions and grammar?

[Neil F]

I agree with you Roscoe, I cringe when I hear teenagers talking in faux American accents. It seems as though they believe it makes them more "hip". Yes TV presenters seem to follow like sheep in starting to use the latest expressions from USA -quite unnecessarily. And years ago copying USA with 2 News readers instead of 1 :"Well Simon!" and the shallow banter between them.

[WalOne]

My pet hate is cervical.

Rhymes with magical.....but yet many pronounce it

cer VIKE al.

Grrrr..

Grrrr seconded!

[Brucem]

One of my pet hates (among many) is degrees of uniqueness as in "very unique". This nonsense is common on TV. Surely "unique" is an absolute.

[zqwerty]

The misuse and misunderstanding of the word "rapt".