Lexical Stress

Question 1

English suffixes are divided into three major classes

Answer 1

1) stress neutral suffixes
2) non neutral suffixes
a) auto stressed suffixes
b) stress imposing suffixes (divided into pre stressed 1 and pre stressed 2
3) mixed behaviour suffixes

Question 2

Stress neutral suffixes

Answer 2

• do NOT receive primary stress
• do not affect the stress pattern

-en, -dom, -fold, -ful, -hood, -ish, -less, -let, -ly, -ment, -ness, -ship, -some, -ton,-y, -ward(s), -ess, -age, -es, -ed, -ing

Question 3

Non neutral suffixes, a) auto stressed suffixes

Answer 3

Grab the primary stress

-ade ( french origins) , -ee (not a suffix in ‘coffee, co’mmittee, ‘toffee) , -een, -eer ( not a suffix in career, reindeer, overseer, sightseer) , -ese, -esque, -ette (exception ‘palette, ‘etiquette)
-ique, ine

Exceptions : ‘decade, ‘marmalade, ‘renegade

Question 4

2 b) stress imposing suffixes - pre stressed 1

Answer 4

Determine the placement of the primary stress

-ic, -ics, -ical, ically, ify/efy, ity/ety, ish(in verbs)

+ V+V+C = ion, ian, ial, ium, ius, ious, iar, eous, uous, ual

Question 5

Pre stressed 2

Answer 5

In words of three or more syllables endings in ate

Question 6

Mixed behaviour suffixes

Answer 6

-al (neutral when added to a verb, pre stressed 1 when added to a word ending in the suffice ive ,a.djec’ti.val, pre stressed 2 suffix in word like o’ri.gi.nal

• ize added to free stems stress neutral

ate ( auto stressed in dysyllabic verb , dissyllabic non verb 10
Verb of 3 syllable or more pre stressed 2
able, ous,