Here's a breakdown:
* Stress: Stress is the emphasis or prominence given to a syllable in a word. It affects how the word is pronounced and can change the meaning.
* Unstressed: Unstressed letters are those that are not emphasized, meaning they are pronounced with less force or clarity. They often have a shorter duration and a less distinct sound.
Examples:
* In the word "about", the stress is on the first syllable ("a-"). The letter "t" in the second syllable ("bout") is unstressed.
* In the word "banana", the stress is on the first syllable ("ba-"). The letters "na" in the remaining syllables are unstressed.
Important Notes:
* Unstressed letters are not necessarily silent letters. While some unstressed letters may be silent, others are still pronounced, just with less force.
* The position of the stress in a word can vary depending on the language and the particular word.
* Unstressed letters often have a different pronunciation compared to their stressed counterparts. For example, the vowel sound in "about" ("bout") is different from the vowel sound in "about" ("a-").
Understanding unstressed letters is important for pronunciation, especially in languages like English where stress can significantly affect the sound and meaning of words.