"stress-timed language" Meghatározása és Jelentése

What is a "stress-timed language"?

A stress-timed language is a type of language in which the rhythm is primarily determined by the occurrence of stressed syllables, with intervals between these stressed syllables being roughly equal. In stress-timed languages, unstressed syllables may be shortened or reduced to fit this rhythm, leading to variations in the duration of syllables. English is a common example of a stress-timed language, where stressed syllables receive more emphasis and are longer in duration than unstressed ones. Understanding stress-timed languages is important in linguistics because it helps explain the rhythmic patterns of speech and how they affect pronunciation and comprehension in spoken language.