The Ontario Readers: The High School Reader, 1886Ontario. Department of Education
General
The Ontario Readers: The High School Reader, 1886
Ontario. Department of Education
Readers (Secondary)
=Median Stress=, as it can be effectively applied to none but indefinite
or mutable syllables, is compatible only with such a rate of utterance
as will permit of these receiving long quantities. It may receive any
degree of force, from that gentle swell which indicates a tranquil flow
of emotion, to that firm and swelling energy which is the appropriate
expression of the language of elevated feeling. With the wider intervals
it should be used only for occasional emphasis; but in its lighter forms
it may prevail as a drift of dignified expression. Median stress, being
always necessarily associated with long quantity in syllables, is not an
appropriate mode in the language of colloquy, or in vivacious discourse
of any kind. It is, however, the fit interpreter of that fervid and
lofty imagination which clothes itself in forms of grace and grandeur;
and hence, with intonations and waves of the lesser intervals, with
medium or low sentential pitch, a moderate degree of force, and the pure
or orotund quality, it is the appropriate expression of all exalted
prose and poetry, not strongly dramatic.
=Thorough Stress= is effected by continuing the force and fulness of the
radical stress throughout the whole concrete. Used as a current mode,
which should be but rarely, it is expressive of bluntness, arrogance,
bravado; and, with short quantities, of ignorant coarseness.
Occasionally it may be used instead of final stress to give emphasis to
a syllable whose vanishing movement is but little capable of receiving
an increase of force.
=Compound Stress= combines the qualities of both radical and final
stress; it is therefore of extreme character, and can be only
occasionally used. With wide intervals, in its stronger modes, it is
expressive of the utmost intensity of feeling; in its lighter modes it
is the natural expression of strong surprise.
=The Loud Concrete= is simply the equable concrete uttered with greater
fulness of breath and loudness of tone. It is used to break a current of
light force for the sake of emphasizing some word or phrase; and, in
impassioned discourse, it may be used as a current mode, individual
words or phrases being then put in relief by receiving the forcible
radical, or thorough, or compound stress.
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