The functions of word-stress Word-stress has a constitutive function, as it moulds syllables into a word forming its stress pattern.
Word-stress has a distinctive function in English, because exists there different words in English with analogous sound structure which are differentiated in speech only by their stress pattern. E.g.
Noun / adjective verb
'Insult in'sult
'Subject sub'ject
Word-stress has an identificatory factory function, because stress patterns of words enable people to identify definite combinations of sounds as meaningful linguistic units. A distortion of the stress pattern may hamper understanding or produce a strange accent.
