the primary stress

[Shinya Maki]

Which part has the primary stress, 'newspaper' or 'holiday'?

(1) newspaper holiday (= day when there is no newspaper)

How about 'press holiday'?

(2) press holiday

[Pete]

Which part has the primary stress, 'newspaper' or 'holiday'?

(1) newspaper holiday (= day when there is no newspaper)

How about 'press holiday'?

(2) press holiday
I would need a complete sentence to give a specific answer. Assuming that these are both common expressions, I see no difference between the handling of "newspaper holiday" and "press holiday".

If you are making a contrast between one of these holidays and some other kind of holiday, you would probably put the primary stress on the word "newspaper" or "press". If you are simply making some factual reference to one of these holidays, I think you would give very close to equal stress to each word of the phrase; at least when I try to analyze how I would say such a sentence, I see no difference in stress. If there is a subconscious stress that I am not aware of, someone else will have to point it out.

[Shinya Maki]

Hello, Pete.

Thank you very much for your reply. You wrote:

If you are simply making some factual reference to one of these holidays, I think you would give very close to equal stress to each word of the phrase; at least when I try to analyze how I would say such a sentence, I see no difference in stress.

This explantion of yours satisfies me, but let me give you the background of my question.

I am puzzling over the following question, which is from one of the questions given in a mock exercise for the Japanese standerdized university entrance examination in English i.e. the Japanese version of SAT.

When the second utterance by A is read aloud, which part is most highlighted, (1) but, (2) today, (3)newspaper, or (4)holiday?
A: What are you waiting for?
B: I'm waiting for the newspaper.
A: But today is a newpaper holiday.
B: Really?

My guess is as follows:

If the term "newspaper holiday" has "equal" stress( or "even" stress, as I would call it) in citation form, the answer should be (4)holiday, since "newspaper" seems to have already established a "given" information status because of the previous utterance by B. If it has the primary stress on "newspaper" in citation form, on the other hand, the answer should be (3)newspaper instead, since the primary stress in the compound "newspaper holiday" is not affected even though "newspaper" has a "given" information status.

Any comment would be appreciated.

Sincerely,
Shinya Maki

[Anonymous]

hi

based on the dialogue, american English would stress the primary syllable of "news" in newspaper.

[Shinya Maki]

Hello, Mr. or Mrs. Guest

Thank you for your comment. It really helps.

Sincerely,
Shinya Maki

[Pete]

Hello, Pete.

Thank you very much for your reply. You wrote:

If you are simply making some factual reference to one of these holidays, I think you would give very close to equal stress to each word of the phrase; at least when I try to analyze how I would say such a sentence, I see no difference in stress.

This explantion of yours satisfies me, but let me give you the background of my question.

I am puzzling over the following question, which is from one of the questions given in a mock exercise for the Japanese standerdized university entrance examination in English i.e. the Japanese version of SAT.

When the second utterance by A is read aloud, which part is most highlighted, (1) but, (2) today, (3)newspaper, or (4)holiday?
A: What are you waiting for?
B: I'm waiting for the newspaper.
A: But today is a newpaper holiday.
B: Really?

My guess is as follows:

If the term "newspaper holiday" has "equal" stress( or "even" stress, as I would call it) in citation form, the answer should be (4)holiday, since "newspaper" seems to have already established a "given" information status because of the previous utterance by B. If it has the primary stress on "newspaper" in citation form, on the other hand, the answer should be (3)newspaper instead, since the primary stress in the compound "newspaper holiday" is not affected even though "newspaper" has a "given" information status.

Any comment would be appreciated.

Sincerely,
Shinya Maki
In the context of the dialogue given, I think I would probably put the stress on the word "holiday". As you say, the subject of "newspaper" has already been established, and I would stress "holiday" as the bit of new, relevant information that speaker A expects that speaker B will find useful. Especially the presence of the word "but" in that sentence makes me want to stress the word that conflicts in some way with the previous statement.

[Shinya Maki]

Hello, Pete.

Thank you again for your comment. Now I am confident.

Sincerely,
Shinya Maki