Speech and prunciation

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Are there any rules for word stress in long words?

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

Oumaima Salby 3381 Speech and ~~prunciation~~ pronunciation

Oumaima Salby 3381Are there any rules for word stress in long words?

There are general guidelines for all words. Maybe you're asking about words with certain endings?

For example, words that end in -ity are usually stressed on the syllable that precedes -ity: elecTRICity, seRENity, friVOLity, etc.

And words that end in -ic or -ical are usually stressed on the syllable that precedes those endings: euPHORic, proPHETic, auTHENTic, freNETic, COMical, hisTORical, MUSical, diaBOLical, etc.

Words that end in -tion are usually stressed on the syllable that precedes -tion: disserTAtion, conflaGRAtion, imiTAtion, deseCRAtion, etc. Likewise for -sion.

Four-syllable words that end in -ary or -ory are usually stressed on the first syllable with a secondary stress on the third syllable: VOLuntary, CORollary, SEDentary, EMissary, TERritory, MANditory, INventory, etc.

Words composed of two joined Greek roots often have these endings, stressed as shown: -Ography, -Ology, -Ocracy,-Ometry, -Ometer, -Omaly, -Onomy, etc.

Examples: geOgraphy, photOgraphy, biOlogy, astrOlogy, demOcracy, theOcracy, geOmetry, optOmetry, thermOmeter, barOmeter, anOmaly, ecOnomy, autOnomy, etc.

There are probably other guidelines on websites if you check this out with Google. Just remember that you'll also find exceptions to these kinds of guidelines in most cases.

CJ

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