Welcome to the History of English Podcast, a podcast about the history of the English language.

This is episode 167, The Rhythm of English.

In this episode, we're going to look at a fascinating aspect of English, the feel and rhythm

of the language.

It's something you probably don't think about when you speak, especially if you're a native

speaker.

But all languages have their own rhythm and cadence, and English is no exception.

And that rhythm has actually shaped the language over time.

It also shaped the structure of English poetry.

And during the Elizabethan period, it shaped the way drama was composed.

So this time, we'll look at the beginning of modern English drama through the patterns

of sound in ordinary speech.

But before we begin, let me remind you that the website for the podcast is historyofenglishpodcast.com.

And you can sign up to support the podcast and get bonus episodes at patreon.com slash history

of English.

Now this time, we're going to look at the way English words are pronounced, but not in

the usual way.

We're not going to focus on specific vowel or consonant sounds.

Instead, we're going to focus on the peaks and valleys of speech.

The way we pronounce some syllables more strongly than others.

The technical term for that extra emphasis we put on some syllables is stress.

Believe it or not, this topic helps to explain why Shakespeare's language is so challenging

...