Prosodic stress


What difference do different stress positions make to the meaning of the following sentence:


What would you like?


What would you like?


What would you like?


What would you like?



Answer




A. They sell all kinds of toys in here. Pick something and I'll buy it for you.
B. I don't like anything round.
A. Well, what would you like then?
B. Something red.
A. Okay, something red, but what would you like?
B. I hate that bear.
A. I don't want to know what you hate. What would you like?
B. Jane likes drawing.
A. What would you like?



So the meanings break down as:




  1. What would you like? (as opposed to some other property such as when or how you would like it)




  2. What would you like? (as opposed to what you wouldn't or don't like)




  3. What would you like? (as opposed to what another person would like)




  4. What would you like? (as opposed to what you might hate, or remember, or do something other than liking with)




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