Here's why:
* Stress is applied to syllables, not individual consonants. A syllable can be stressed or unstressed, and the consonants within that syllable will be affected by the stress of the syllable itself.
* Consonants can be affected by their surrounding sounds. This includes the vowels they are near and the stress of the syllable they are in. This can influence their pronunciation, but it doesn't make them "unstressed" in the same way a syllable is.
Here's an example:
Let's take the word "around". The first syllable "a" is stressed, and the second syllable "round" is unstressed.
* The consonant "r" in the first syllable is pronounced with more emphasis.
* The consonant "r" in the second syllable might be reduced or slightly less pronounced.
Instead of talking about "unstressed consonants," you might consider:
* Reduced consonants: These are consonants that are pronounced with less effort or clarity due to the unstressed syllable they are in. Examples include the /t/ in "button" or the /d/ in "ladder".
* Consonant allophones: These are variations in the pronunciation of a consonant depending on its surrounding sounds. For example, the /t/ in "top" is pronounced differently from the /t/ in "stop."
Let me know if you have any other questions about stress, syllables, or phonetics!