Stress on sounds which are typically silent/devoiced

[Tamayo]

Forgive me if this topic has already been visited in the past -- I wasn't able to find any relevant posts which go into detail about this specific issue (though there have been topics which discuss the exact opposite of this).


In my studies of Japanese, I learned fairly early on that syllables such as す、 し、 う and so on, can, and usually are, devoiced in a great handful of situations. The most obvious example is です sounding like "Dess" and ます sounding like "Mass", rather than having a strong "う" sound, as one might infer when they read Japanese which has been transliterated into Romaji. (Don't worry, I'm far passed Romaji )


I've started to notice lately, however, that, contrary to my initial understanding that the "う" sound wasn't supposed to have any presence in these words, I often hear them pronounced and even stressed now that I have the ear to hear it. So instead of "Dess" and "Onegaishimass", I hear "DeSU" and "OnegaishimaSU".


Aside from instances in which these syllables are followed by other sounds (for example, ですよ、ますよ、 etc.), why do people pronounce the う sound? I should note that anime is currently my most prominent source for hearing spoken Japanese, so I do take a lot of it with a grain of salt, but this is something that I hear in Japanese advertisements, television shows and even movies. There are plenty of times where I've heard "おねがいします" and "です". I've noticed that this happens a lot more often when a woman is talking than a man. Also, it seems to me that this stress on "う" happens more often when someone is trying to be polite, though it could just be my imagination.

Might this be influenced by dialect, or perhaps modern vs. traditional pronunciations of the syllables?

Any help on this topic would be enormously appreciated!

 

[Toritoribe]

The following thread might be helpful.

...su...ending question? | Japan Forum

In conclusion, there are some factors to determine whether う is voiced or devoiced, e.g., dialct, accent/stress, individual difference etc... (As for stressed す at the end of a sentence, Kansai dialect tends to pronounce so.)

 

[Tamayo]

The following thread might be helpful.

...su...ending question?

In conclusion, there are some factors to determine whether う is voiced or devoiced, e.g., dialct, accent/stress, individual difference etc... (As for stressed す at the end of a sentence, Kansai dialect tends to pronounce so.)

Thanks for your reply!

Yes, that was one of the threads I found. I found a little bit of information that helped, but it didn't really explain to me why it seems that so many people speak with such erratic fidelity to the standard way of devoicing certain syllables. For example, why is it that some people voice the "う" in "です" so strongly, and other times, they won't? It seems to be more than just an issue of dialect, but maybe context? Sometimes a person will pronounce the "う", but they'll later devoice/silence the sound in a very similar, or even the exact same word. I suppose it isn't really a huge issue, it's just been a little detail that has me confused.

By the way, is it true at all that this happens more often when people are trying to be polite/speak to their superiors, or am I really just imagining that?

 

[Toritoribe]

As a native Japanese speaker, yes for "it isn't really a huge issue" and no for "this happens more often when people are trying to be polite/speak to their superiors", just in my opinion.

 

[Tamayo]

As a native Japanese speaker, yes for "it isn't really a huge issue" and no for "this happens more often when people are trying to be polite/speak to their superiors", just in my opinion.

I see. I suppose I'll just forget about it until I've learned a lot more Japanese. One more thing, though. Would you be able to give me any examples as to when syllables which are normally devoiced can be stressed? Is the stress for tone, or does it make the word more serious/imply something more?

 

[Toritoribe]

When saying it with a rising intonation as an interrogative sentence or denying the addressee's words, connoting complaint. (In the latter case, う is pronounced almost as a long vowel.)
e.g.
今雨降ってます？
Is it raining now?

「その答え間違ってない？」「合ってます（ぅ）」
"Isn't the answer wrong? (= I think/It seems the answer is wrong.)" "It's correct!"

 

[Tamayo]

When saying it with a rising intonation as an interrogative sentence or denying the addressee's words, connoting complaint. (In the latter case, う is pronounced almost as a long vowel.)
e.g.
今雨降ってます？
Is it raining now?

「その答え間違ってない？」「合ってます（ぅ）」
"Isn't the answer wrong? (= I think/It seems the answer is wrong.)" "It's correct!"

Thanks a bunch! You've been incredibly helpful, as always, Toritoribe.