How do stress-timed languages differ from syllable-timed languages?

Stress-timed languages differ from syllable-timed languages primarily in how they organize timing and stress within their spoken forms. In stress-timed languages, the rhythm is based on the pattern of stressed syllables, which occur at fairly regular intervals. Between the stressed syllables, the durations of the unstressed syllables can vary, leading to a perception of timing where the emphasis is placed more on stressed syllables than on syllable counts.

In this context, stress patterns indeed affect syllable length in stress-timed languages. Stressed syllables tend to be longer and more prominent, while unstressed syllables can be noticeably shorter and less distinct, resulting in a rhythm that emphasizes the importance of stress in speech. This is fundamental in understanding the phonetic structure and rhythm inherent to stress-timed languages.

Understanding this distinction helps explain why syllable durations are not fixed in stress-timed languages, making option D the correct choice. While syllable-timed languages treat each syllable with roughly equal duration, leading to a more consistent rhythm, stress-timed languages are characterized by their reliance on variability in syllable length prompted by stress patterns.