Suffixes and position of the accent: Summary

Of Germanic and (recent) French origin, and other recent borrrowings

From Greek and Latin through Norman French

No change	Main accent on suffix (original main accent in basic word becomes secondary)	Accent before "link vowel"	Accent on second syllable before suffix
(endings for making new words) -hood -less -ness -ship -ism -ist -ly (etymologically, from "-like") -ment (grammatical endings which can also make nouns and adjectives) -ed -ing	-eer -esque -ette -ier -ectomy -itis -arily** -mental**	-ian -ible -ic -ical -ion -ious -ity -ual	-able* -acy -ate -ary -ence -ent -ite -ory -ous -tute -y

**these could be analysed in other ways, but the result is the same.

*some curious and surprising exceptions!

bold and italic = primary accent of word with more than one accent

bold only = secondary accent, or only accent of word

Note that some suffixed words can undergo further suffixation; the last suffix added is the one which determines the accentuation of the resulting word, e.g., re.al, re.a.list, re.a.lis.tic

Note also that prefixes are usually neutral, except for some instances of contrast, e.g., "I have paid you once already to install it; don't expect me to pay you again to reinstall it! (non-contrastive pronunciation: re.install)"; "This report is not mere misinformation; it is a deliberate piece of disinformation! (non-contrastive pronunciation: mi.sin.for.ma.tion, di.sin.for.ma.tion)"; "misinformation is not the same thing as deliberate disinformation!"; "disinterested does not mean the same thing as uninterested! (un.in.te.res.ted, di.sin.te.res.ted)".

[cheat-sheet]

NOUN VS. VERB (OR ADJECTIVE)

Forty or so common two-syllable words like "INsult/inSULT" or "CONtent/conTENT" are understood as nouns when the accent falls on the first syllable, and as verbs (or adjectives) when it falls on the second. There are hundreds of other two-syllable words that have nothing to do with this rule, e.g., TRANsfer, or deMAND, both of which can be nouns or verbs, and yet are always pronounced as indicated.

abstract absent* accent* adept augment* combat compact concert conduct conflict consort construct

contest contract contrast convert convict decrease desert digest discharge discount

extract ferment* fragment* incline increase incite/insight infix insult escort exploit interchange / interchange

object perfect permit pervert present produce project progress prostrate rebel record reefer/refer

refill refuse revel second segment* subject survey suspect torment* transfer transplant

[*see other [ent] words below]

Note that DEsert (noun) and deSSERT (noun) are unrelated. ATtribute (noun) / attRIbute (verb), ENvelope (noun) / enVElope (verb), INvalid (noun) and inVAlid (adjective) are among the few three-syllable words that behave in this way.

Other words of more than two syllables may show similar variation: while the primary lexical stress stays put, in the pronunciation of the verb, secondary stress reinforces the vowel of the final syllable, i.e. for nouns, the «e» in «-ment» is pronounced like the «a» in «sofa» , but like the «ê» in «être» for verbs (Bold-face = primary stress, underlining = secondary stress):

complement compliment document implement increment regiment supplement

Many similar words are only used as nouns:

decrement instrument ornament sacrament

The vowel produced with the secondary accent (as with verbs) is maintained in other derivations of these words [cf. stress on «fused suffixes»]:

compleMENtary compliMENtary docuMENtary implemenTAtion increMENtal ornaMENtal regiMENtary suppleMENtary

NOUN (OR ADJECTIVE) VS. VERB

Note the vowels in the following latinate words:

advocate affiliate aggregate animate appropriate approximate

articulate associate coordinate degenerate delegate

deliberate duplicate elaborate estimate expatriate

graduate initiate intimate separate

. These can be either nouns (sometimes adjectives) or verbs. While the position of the accent does not change, the last vowel is pronounced like the "a" in "above" for a noun (or adjective), or "ay" (like the "a" in "ate") for a verb. (E.g.: advocate = verb, advocate = noun.) This is not exceptionless, e.g. "concentrate" can be a noun or a verb, and is pronounced with the same accentuation and vowels ("ay").

Some of these words are basically verbs, and require an affix to become nouns (or adjectives), e.g., deFAME >>> defaMAtion; GEnerate >>> unreGEnerate, generAtion, etc.; VIolate >>> inVIolate, vioLAtion, etc.; suBORdinate >>> insuBORdinate, subordiNAtion, etc. Others are nouns (or adjectives) only, such as: DElicate, ilLIterate, proTEctorate (with "schwa"), or verbs only, such as: eNUmerate, eXOnerate, ilLUminate, pronounced as expected (with "ay"). Note the exception: (in)SEnsate ("ay").

"STRESS-NEUTRAL" [derivational]

considerable (un)recognizable (un)reliable brokerage fuselage conversational* impersonal* poetess kingdom interpreter translator beautiful

Taxidermist Antivivisectionist many-fold, adulthood fiendish cannibalism stigmatize corrosive friendless soulless piglet pig-like

stripling duckling government, foremost impetuousness cutlery landscape companionship handsome fearsome, frightsome loathsome mobster

left-ward clock-wise (un)seaworthy (un)trustworthy

* cf.: PArent/paRENtal, NAture/NAtural

Note however photograph, photographer, photography.

"STRESS-NEUTRAL" [grammatical]

-ed, -es (pl. and 3rd pers. sing. pres.), -ing (gerund) , -en (past. part.), -er (comparative),

-est (superlative), -ly (adv.)

"STRESS-BEARING" [note productive contemporary suffixes vs. non-productive historical ones]

serenade despair repair opaque technique fatigue, absentee auctioneer

compel impel propel propellant repellent a cappella Cinderella Isabella Mozzerella umbrella

adhere, caress, distress duress Dolphenese Statuesque Suffragette appendicitis

acquire uninspired cartoon diagnosis exude intrude protrude immune

"ACCENT ON THE FIRST SYLLABLE BEFORE THE SUFFIX" [note «linking vowels»]

Arbitrarily (un)necessarily (in)voluntarily* activity anxiety spontaneity academic categorical identical

personify liquefy attitude fortitude ingratitude inertia confidential participial venereal (in)effectual habitual residual

(in)accessible emotion (in)decision opinion Torontonian Mediterranean

diminish replenish impoverish(?) equilibrium (in)convenient (in)experience (in)sufficiency subliminal

*cf. «fused suffixes»

ACCENT ON THE SECOND SYLLABLE BEFORE THE SUFFIX

(in)subordinate incorporate (in)definite exquisite hypocrite opposite*

(in)credulous generous odiferous cantankerous accident experiment**

extravagance, (in)difference, democracy treasury usury misery complacency presidency occupancy

Deodorant Ordinary Itinerary Spontaneous*** (dis)courteous*** laborious*** melodious*** (un)ambiguous***

*cf. Israelite

**cf. government

***These could also be analyzed as "Accent before the linking vowel"

Notice that the «heavy syllable» may prevail: confederate, confederacy (normal pattern), vs. intestate, intestacy (heavy syllable prevails).

SO-CALLED «FUSED SUFFIXES» [note «heavy syllables»]

accidental continental

compartmental experimental

detrimental governmental

compli mentary

Note role of «heavy» syllable:

alternative demonstrative

illustrative indicative

infinitive innovative

substantive vindicative

vs. «neutral» [-ive/ative]:

authoritative combative decorative

definitive laxative manipulative

meditative primitive remunerative

speculative talkative unappreciative

Note role of «underlying form»: adMIRE/ADmirable.

Note suffixation types: PArent/PArenting/paRENtal.