diff --git a/src/libespeak-ng/dictionary.c b/src/libespeak-ng/dictionary.c
index d2e565b7..501eef4a 100644
--- a/src/libespeak-ng/dictionary.c
+++ b/src/libespeak-ng/dictionary.c
@@ -1118,12 +1118,12 @@ void SetWordStress(Translator *tr, char *output, unsigned int *dictionary_flags,
 
 	switch (tr->langopts.stress_rule)
 	{
-	case 8:
+	case STRESSPOSN_2LLH:
 		// stress on first syllable, unless it is a light syllable followed by a heavy syllable
 		if ((syllable_weight[1] > 0) || (syllable_weight[2] == 0))
 			break;
 		// fallthrough:
-	case 1:
+	case STRESSPOSN_2L:
 		// stress on second syllable
 		if ((stressed_syllable == 0) && (vowel_count > 2)) {
 			stressed_syllable = 2;
@@ -1141,7 +1141,7 @@ void SetWordStress(Translator *tr, char *output, unsigned int *dictionary_flags,
 			}
 		}
 		// fallthrough:
-	case 2:
+	case STRESSPOSN_2R:
 		// a language with stress on penultimate vowel
 
 		if (stressed_syllable == 0) {
@@ -1195,7 +1195,7 @@ void SetWordStress(Translator *tr, char *output, unsigned int *dictionary_flags,
 			}
 		}
 		break;
-	case 3:
+	case STRESSPOSN_1R:
 		// stress on last vowel
 		if (stressed_syllable == 0) {
 			// no explicit stress - stress the final vowel
@@ -1212,7 +1212,7 @@ void SetWordStress(Translator *tr, char *output, unsigned int *dictionary_flags,
 			max_stress = STRESS_IS_PRIMARY;
 		}
 		break;
-	case 4: // stress on antipenultimate vowel
+	case  STRESSPOSN_3R: // stress on antipenultimate vowel
 		if (stressed_syllable == 0) {
 			stressed_syllable = vowel_count - 3;
 			if (stressed_syllable < 1)
@@ -1223,7 +1223,7 @@ void SetWordStress(Translator *tr, char *output, unsigned int *dictionary_flags,
 			max_stress = STRESS_IS_PRIMARY;
 		}
 		break;
-	case 5:
+	case STRESSPOSN_SYLCOUNT:
 		// LANG=Russian
 		if (stressed_syllable == 0) {
 			// no explicit stress - guess the stress from the number of syllables
@@ -1244,7 +1244,7 @@ void SetWordStress(Translator *tr, char *output, unsigned int *dictionary_flags,
 			max_stress = STRESS_IS_PRIMARY;
 		}
 		break;
-	case 6: // LANG=hi stress on the last heaviest syllable
+	case STRESSPOSN_1RH: // LANG=hi stress on the last heaviest syllable
 		if (stressed_syllable == 0) {
 			int wt;
 			int max_weight = -1;
@@ -1271,7 +1271,7 @@ void SetWordStress(Translator *tr, char *output, unsigned int *dictionary_flags,
 			max_stress = STRESS_IS_PRIMARY;
 		}
 		break;
-	case 7: // LANG=tr, the last syllable for any vowel marked explicitly as unstressed
+	case STRESSPOSN_1RU : // LANG=tr, the last syllable for any vowel marked explicitly as unstressed
 		if (stressed_syllable == 0) {
 			stressed_syllable = vowel_count - 1;
 			for (ix = 1; ix < vowel_count; ix++) {
@@ -1284,13 +1284,13 @@ void SetWordStress(Translator *tr, char *output, unsigned int *dictionary_flags,
 			max_stress = STRESS_IS_PRIMARY;
 		}
 		break;
-	case 9: // mark all as stressed
+	case STRESSPOSN_ALL: // mark all as stressed
 		for (ix = 1; ix < vowel_count; ix++) {
 			if (vowel_stress[ix] < STRESS_IS_DIMINISHED)
 				vowel_stress[ix] = STRESS_IS_PRIMARY;
 		}
 		break;
-	case 12: // LANG=kl (Greenlandic)
+	case STRESSPOSN_GREENLANDIC: // LANG=kl (Greenlandic)
 		long_vowel = 0;
 		for (ix = 1; ix < vowel_count; ix++) {
 			if (vowel_stress[ix] == STRESS_IS_PRIMARY)
@@ -1318,7 +1318,7 @@ void SetWordStress(Translator *tr, char *output, unsigned int *dictionary_flags,
 		vowel_stress[stressed_syllable] = STRESS_IS_PRIMARY;
 		max_stress = STRESS_IS_PRIMARY;
 		break;
-	case 13: // LANG=ml, 1st unless 1st vowel is short and 2nd is long
+	case STRESSPOSN_1SL:  // LANG=ml, 1st unless 1st vowel is short and 2nd is long
 		if (stressed_syllable == 0) {
 			stressed_syllable = 1;
 			if ((vowel_length[1] == 0) && (vowel_count > 2) && (vowel_length[2] > 0))
@@ -1327,7 +1327,8 @@ void SetWordStress(Translator *tr, char *output, unsigned int *dictionary_flags,
 			max_stress = STRESS_IS_PRIMARY;
 		}
 		break;
-	case 15: // LANG=eu. If more than 2 syllables: primary stress in second syllable and secondary on last. 
+
+	case STRESSPOSN_EU: // LANG=eu. If more than 2 syllables: primary stress in second syllable and secondary on last. 
 		if ((stressed_syllable == 0) && (vowel_count > 2)) {
 			for (ix = 1; ix < vowel_count; ix++) {
 				vowel_stress[ix] = STRESS_IS_DIMINISHED;
diff --git a/src/libespeak-ng/tr_languages.c b/src/libespeak-ng/tr_languages.c
index fecdba36..6dcde9a7 100644
--- a/src/libespeak-ng/tr_languages.c
+++ b/src/libespeak-ng/tr_languages.c
@@ -868,7 +868,7 @@ Translator *SelectTranslator(const char *name)
 		tr->encoding = ESPEAKNG_ENCODING_ISCII;
 		tr->langopts.length_mods0 = tr->langopts.length_mods; // don't lengthen vowels in the last syllable
 
-		tr->langopts.stress_rule = 6; // stress on last heaviest syllable, excluding final syllable
+		tr->langopts.stress_rule = STRESSPOSN_1RH; // stress on last heaviest syllable, excluding final syllable
 		tr->langopts.stress_flags =  S_MID_DIM | S_FINAL_DIM; // use 'diminished' for unstressed final syllable
 		tr->langopts.numbers = NUM_SWAP_TENS;
 		tr->langopts.break_numbers = BREAK_LAKH_HI;
@@ -1103,7 +1103,7 @@ Translator *SelectTranslator(const char *name)
 
 		SetupTranslator(tr, stress_lengths_tr, stress_amps_tr);
 
-		tr->langopts.stress_rule = 7; // stress on the last syllable, before any explicitly unstressed syllable
+		tr->langopts.stress_rule = STRESSPOSN_1RU; // stress on the last syllable, before any explicitly unstressed syllable
 		tr->langopts.stress_flags = S_NO_AUTO_2 + S_NO_EOC_LENGTHEN; // no automatic secondary stress, don't lengthen at end-of-clause
 		tr->langopts.lengthen_tonic = 0;
 		tr->langopts.param[LOPT_SUFFIX] = 1;
@@ -1116,7 +1116,7 @@ Translator *SelectTranslator(const char *name)
 	case L('k', 'l'): // Greenlandic
 	{
 		SetupTranslator(tr, stress_lengths_equal, stress_amps_equal);
-		tr->langopts.stress_rule = 12;
+		tr->langopts.stress_rule = STRESSPOSN_GREENLANDIC;
 		tr->langopts.stress_flags = S_NO_AUTO_2;
 		tr->langopts.numbers = NUM_DECIMAL_COMMA | NUM_SWAP_TENS | NUM_HUNDRED_AND | NUM_OMIT_1_HUNDRED | NUM_ORDINAL_DOT | NUM_1900 | NUM_ROMAN | NUM_ROMAN_CAPITALS | NUM_ROMAN_ORDINAL;
 	}
@@ -1133,7 +1133,7 @@ Translator *SelectTranslator(const char *name)
 		SetLetterBits(tr, LETTERGP_Y, ko_ivowels);
 		SetLetterBits(tr, LETTERGP_G, (const char *)ko_voiced);
 
-		tr->langopts.stress_rule = 8; // ?? 1st syllable if it is heavy, else 2nd syllable
+		tr->langopts.stress_rule = STRESSPOSN_2LLH; // ?? 1st syllable if it is heavy, else 2nd syllable
 		tr->langopts.param[LOPT_UNPRONOUNCABLE] = 1; // disable check for unpronouncable words
 		tr->langopts.numbers = NUM_OMIT_1_HUNDRED;
 		tr->langopts.numbers2 = NUM2_MYRIADS;
@@ -1149,7 +1149,7 @@ Translator *SelectTranslator(const char *name)
 		SetupTranslator(tr, stress_lengths_ku, stress_amps_ku);
 		tr->encoding = ESPEAKNG_ENCODING_ISO_8859_9;
 
-		tr->langopts.stress_rule = 7; // stress on the last syllable, before any explicitly unstressed syllable
+		tr->langopts.stress_rule = STRESSPOSN_1RU; // stress on the last syllable, before any explicitly unstressed syllable
 
 		tr->langopts.numbers = NUM_HUNDRED_AND | NUM_AND_UNITS | NUM_OMIT_1_HUNDRED | NUM_AND_HUNDRED;
 		tr->langopts.max_initial_consonants = 2;
@@ -1488,7 +1488,7 @@ Translator *SelectTranslator(const char *name)
 			tr->letter_bits_offset = OFFSET_MALAYALAM;
 			tr->langopts.numbers = NUM_OMIT_1_THOUSAND | NUM_OMIT_1_HUNDRED;
 			tr->langopts.numbers2 = NUM2_OMIT_1_HUNDRED_ONLY;
-			tr->langopts.stress_rule = 13; // 1st syllable, unless 1st vowel is short and 2nd is long
+			tr->langopts.stress_rule = STRESSPOSN_1SL; // 1st syllable, unless 1st vowel is short and 2nd is long
 		} else if (name2 == L('k', 'n')) {
 			tr->letter_bits_offset = OFFSET_KANNADA;
 			tr->langopts.numbers = NUM_DEFAULT;
@@ -1510,7 +1510,7 @@ Translator *SelectTranslator(const char *name)
 		SetupTranslator(tr, stress_lengths_tr, stress_amps_tr);
 		tr->encoding = ESPEAKNG_ENCODING_ISO_8859_9;
 
-		tr->langopts.stress_rule = 7; // stress on the last syllable, before any explicitly unstressed syllable
+		tr->langopts.stress_rule = STRESSPOSN_1RU; // stress on the last syllable, before any explicitly unstressed syllable
 		tr->langopts.stress_flags = S_NO_AUTO_2; // no automatic secondary stress
 		tr->langopts.dotless_i = 1;
 		tr->langopts.param[LOPT_SUFFIX] = 1;
@@ -1649,7 +1649,7 @@ static void Translator_Russian(Translator *tr)
 	tr->langopts.param[LOPT_UNPRONOUNCABLE] = 0x432; // [v]  don't count this character at start of word
 	tr->langopts.param[LOPT_REGRESSIVE_VOICING] = 1;
 	tr->langopts.param[LOPT_REDUCE] = 2;
-	tr->langopts.stress_rule = 5;
+	tr->langopts.stress_rule = STRESSPOSN_SYLCOUNT;
 	tr->langopts.stress_flags = S_NO_AUTO_2;
 
 	tr->langopts.numbers = NUM_DECIMAL_COMMA | NUM_OMIT_1_HUNDRED;
diff --git a/src/libespeak-ng/translate.h b/src/libespeak-ng/translate.h
index 8118b059..67ac8f83 100644
--- a/src/libespeak-ng/translate.h
+++ b/src/libespeak-ng/translate.h
@@ -364,6 +364,14 @@ typedef struct {
 #define STRESSPOSN_2R 2 // penultimate
 #define STRESSPOSN_1R 3 // final syllable
 #define STRESSPOSN_3R 4 // antipenultimate
+#define STRESSPOSN_SYLCOUNT 5 // stress depends on syllable count
+#define STRESSPOSN_1RH 6 // last heaviest syllable, excluding final syllable
+#define STRESSPOSN_1RU 7 // stress on the last syllable, before any explicitly unstressed syllable
+#define STRESSPOSN_2LLH 8 // first syllable, unless it is a light syllable followed by a heavy syllable
+#define STRESSPOSN_ALL 9 // mark all stressed
+#define STRESSPOSN_GREENLANDIC 12
+#define STRESSPOSN_1SL 13 // 1st syllable, unless 1st vowel is short and 2nd is long
+#define STRESSPOSN_EU 15 // If more than 2 syllables: primary stress in second syllable and secondary on last.
 
 typedef struct {
 // bits0-2  separate words with (1=pause_vshort, 2=pause_short, 3=pause, 4=pause_long 5=[?] phonemme)
@@ -372,7 +380,7 @@ typedef struct {
 // bit5=length of a final vowel doesn't depend on the next phoneme
 	int word_gap;
 	int vowel_pause;
-	int stress_rule; // 1=first syllable, 2=penultimate,  3=last
+	int stress_rule; // see #defines for STRESSPOSN_*
 
 #define S_NO_DIM            0x02
 #define S_FINAL_DIM         0x04