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I just noticed that "refuse" as a verb has the accent on the second syllable, but as a noun the accent is on the first syllable.
Is there a name for this?
Can you think of other instances of this difference?
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Anonymous
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How 'bout "pervert"  also, "confines" and "compound". the closest i can come to naming this phenomenon would be prosodic variation. i'll bet tsuwm knows, though =)
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addict
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addict
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finance.
Do you count 'project' - where the noun and the verb are not (so closely) related in meaning?
Or 'collect' for those of us with enough Christian background to know what a collect is?!?
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Carpal Tunnel
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Could this distinction be the start of what has split the word "envelop" and "envelope" into two seperate dictionary entries - with the addition of the "e" to 'force' the issue?
'nother one = contract
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journeyman
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journeyman
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Object. I've heard "homage" with both accents, but I think they mean the same thing. Gentle and genteel, almost. Defense. I have no idea what you'd call it.
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enthusiast
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enthusiast
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I can't think of the technical name for this (stress shift? stress variation? no) but it's common enough in English and can even be a productive force (i.e. it can cause pronounciations to change to match the pattern).
Possible examples of noun/verb stress difference, depending on your accent: import, export, contact, research, digest, retard, compact.
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addict
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addict
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re stress shift in noun/verb pairs.
All the examples given (as far as my usage is concerned anyway) have the stress on the first syllable for nouns and later for verbs. Are there any exceptions to this?
[Ok "fish" as a verb has the stress on the first syllable and "fish" as a noun on the last, but apart from that one]
re homage
I've never heard this as other than a noun and only the one stress pattern and pronounciation. (=hOmij). How else is it pronounced? =homIj, homage (like fromage)?
Edit: of course there are adjective/verb pairs too, such as "absent", "abstract". I think some of the earlier examples were of this type.
Rod
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old hand
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old hand
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ello. In German there are cases where two different verbs are written the same; they can only be differentiated from one another through context or 'stress-placement', for example 'übersetzen'. It usually means 'interprete' or 'translate', but can mean 'transfer to (the other side of)' when pronounced ÜBERsetzen, though this is not a very common use. Most would opt for a word with a clearer meaning.
Are there any such stressy verbs in English?
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enthusiast
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enthusiast
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adjective/verb pairs too, such as "absent", "abstract".
Abstract can also be a noun, of course. I think in all such cases, adjectives and nouns share the same stress, and are opposed to verbs.
Homage: could be pronounced om-AHZH, but I'd spell it hommage if doing so.
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Carpal Tunnel
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NW points out: Homage: could be pronounced om-AHZH, but I'd spell it hommage if doing so.
Never saw the hommage* spelling but when you pronounce it that way you're claiming that what you did wasn't really plagiarism but rather an honor to the person you plagiari...oops, i mean paid homage to.
*Quick M-W lookup shows this to be the Old French spelling.
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