What is the difference between stress and tone in phonology?

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What is the difference between stress and tone in phonology?

In phonology, stress and tone are two distinct features that affect the pronunciation of words in different ways.

Stress refers to the emphasis or prominence given to a particular syllable within a word. It involves the relative loudness, pitch, and duration of the stressed syllable compared to the surrounding syllables. In English, for example, stress can change the meaning of words, such as in the pair "record" (noun) and "record" (verb), where the stress falls on different syllables.

On the other hand, tone refers to the use of pitch variations to convey meaning. It is commonly found in tonal languages, such as Mandarin Chinese or Thai. In tonal languages, the pitch contour of a syllable can change the meaning of a word. For instance, in Mandarin Chinese, the syllable "ma" can have different meanings depending on the tone used: "ma" with a high level tone means "mother," while "ma" with a rising tone means "horse."

In summary, stress primarily involves the emphasis placed on a syllable within a word, affecting loudness, pitch, and duration, while tone refers to the use of pitch variations to distinguish word meanings in tonal languages.