"secondary stress"的定义和意义

What is "secondary stress"?

Secondary stress is the additional emphasis placed on a syllable within a word that is less prominent than the primary stress but still noticeable. This stress is typically characterized by a slightly louder, longer, or higher-pitched sound compared to unstressed syllables, but it does not have the same level of prominence as the primary stress. For example, in the word "unbelievable," the syllable "be" has primary stress, while the syllable "lie" carries secondary stress. Recognizing secondary stress is important in phonetics and language because it contributes to the rhythm and flow of speech, aiding in clarity and comprehension.