Stress matters

4 yıl önce

Stress matters. In fact, it matters so much that a sentence can have a different meaning depending on where you place the stress. This is particularly important in English. Check out this astonishing and true example I found in “bored panda:”

          I never said she stole my money.

This sentence has 7 different meanings depending on the stressed word:

1. I never said she stole my money. (Someone else said it)

2. I never said she stole my money. (I didn’t tell on her)

3. I never said she stole my money. (I implied it, but I didn’t say those words)

4. I never said she stole my money. (I didn’t point fingers at her specifically)

5. I never said she stole my money. (Maybe she just borrowed it or took it by mistake and is 
planning on returning it)

6. I never said she stole my money. (Not mine, but someone else’s)

7. I never said she stole my money. (Not my money, but she stole something else)

EXERCISE: Answer one of the following questions or as many as you want. 

                        1. What can I learn from this? 

                        2. Can you come up other examples?

                        3. Does this happen in your own language? 

Feel free to request feedback or corrections. 😄