Comparison Of Word Stress Between Chinese And English

Based on the traditional researches, the paper, combined with the updated Praat phonetic software, focuses on the comparison of acoustic features, rules and functions of word stress of Chinese and English. Accordingly, teaching methods are put forward.The paper consists of seven chapters.The first chapter introduces the present researches of word stress and comparison analysis.The second chapter focuses on the nature of word stress and the comparison of acoustic characteristics. Through Praat phonetic software and graph demonstrations, conclusions are testified that in Chinese word stress, length plays the most important roles. While, in English word stress, pitch plays the most important role.The third chapter compares the rules of word stress between Chinese and English. Chinese word stress regulations focus on neutral tones.English word stress regulations focus on simple words and complex words.The fourth chapter compares the functions of word stress between Chinese and English. Neutral tones are the only words with differing functions in Chinese. Though the amount of such kind of words is small, Chinese words have the same functions as English words do.The fifth chapter focuses on the comparison of phonetic performance of Chinese unstressed syllables and English unstressed syllables. It embodies the weakening pronunciation, falling of vowels and unclearness of consonants.The sixth chapter presents the problems and strategies in teaching Chinese as foreign language. Many teaching methods are mentioned here, including reading methods, aural recognition, comparing and judging exercises.The seventh chapter draws conclusions based on the above chapters and further studies.