2018-01-24 Pronunciation: thought groups

Greg Malivuk
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http://www.pastebin.com/u/gmalivuk - notes from all classes
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When we speak, there’s a “unit” of pronunciation between words and sentences.
Thought groups are complete phrases that make up a sentence.
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We. Do. Not. Speak. Word. By. Word.
(Someone who separates words like this is probably angry.)
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Different divisions of thought-groups can mean different things.
7-week-long vacations = some vacations that are each seven weeks long
7 week-long vacations = seven vacations that area each a week long
twenty-five-year-old newspapers = some newspapers that are 25
twenty / five-year-old newspapers = 20 newspapers that are 5
twenty-five / year-old newspapers = 25 newspapers that are 1
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p. 73 exercise 1A - Is each phrase or sentence one thought group or two? What do the different options mean?
Let’s eat Grandma! = We’re cannibals and we’re going to eat our grandmother.
Let’s eat, Grandma! = I’m telling my grandmother that it’s time to eat.
Who’s hiring Julia? = Who is going to hire Julia as an employee?
Who’s hiring, Julia? = I’m asking Julia who is hiring.
Who’s hiring? Julia? = I’m asking if Julia is the one who’s hiring.
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The Oxford comma (or serial comma) is the comma sometimes used in English before the “and” or “or” in a list of three or more things.
- In your writing, be consistent about whether you use it or not.
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We invited the rhinoceros, Washington, and Lincoln.
- If this is a list, the words rise, rise, and fall.
- If “Washington” is the name of the rhinoceros, it is said in a lower tone.