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Stress matters
4 years agoStress 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?
