I’m having breakfast as I write this. There’s nothing terribly unusual about that: it is the morning after all. But do you know what that word breakfast means?
Breakfast
Author: Niall O'Donnell
Alma Mater
What was your old school like? Have you ever gone back there, to your alma mater?
Word Stress
It’s Friday, we’re all tired after a long week, so let’s have a look at an old post that answers two questions:
Can a word have more than one stressed syllable?
Can a word have no stressed syllables?
This post is inspired by two common and related questions I often see posed online:
- Can an English word have two equally-stressed syllables?
- Can an English word have no stressed syllables?
Before answering (and mercifully, the answer to both questions is the same, and quite simple), let’s have a look at what word stress actually is.
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Mind your own Business!
If you’re very busy, what noun do you use to describe the state you’re in? Would it be… busyness? No, that doesn’t look or sound right, does it? It’s kind of uncanny, because it sounds like business, but it isn’t, and it looks weird with the Y before the suffix -ness.
For Crying Out Loud!
Usually, when people cry, they cry out loud. But of course you can cry silently, can’t you? That hasn’t always been the case though.
I’m Inclined to Agree
I’m sure that’s something you often say while reading these posts. It’s also, if you think about it, more metaphorical than might be obvious. Think about it for a moment. How else do we use the word inclined?
Indiana
I was reading the blurb on the book I’ve just started reading, Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut, when I got a little surprise.
English-Language Thoughts 