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Difficulty: HardWord and Syllable Stress

In spoken English, polysyllabic words ending in the suffix '-graphy' adhere to a consistent phonological rule governing primary accentuation. Which option accurately highlights the primary stressed syllable in the word lexicography?

  1. lex-i-COG-ra-phyAnswer
  2. B
    lex-i-cog-RA-phy
  3. C
    lex-I-cog-ra-phy
  4. D
    LEX-i-cog-ra-phy

Answer

lex-i-COG-ra-phy
The word 'lexicography' contains five syllables (lex-i-cog-ra-phy). According to the rules of English phonology, words ending with the suffix '-graphy' place primary stress on the antepenultimate syllable, which is the third syllable from the end ('COG'). Therefore, 'lex-i-COG-ra-phy' is the correct representation.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Divide the target word 'lexicography' into its component syllables.
The word consists of five syllables: lex - i - cog - ra - phy.
Accurate syllabification is necessary to locate the antepenultimate and penultimate positions.
2
Identify the suffix and apply the corresponding English stress assignment rule.
The suffix '-graphy' assigns primary stress to the antepenultimate (third from the end) syllable.
Suffixes such as '-graphy', '-logy', and '-ity' systematically shift primary stress to the syllable immediately preceding the penultimate syllable.
3
Count three syllables back from the final syllable to determine the primary stress.
1st from end = 'phy', 2nd from end = 'ra', 3rd from end (antepenultimate) = 'cog'. Thus, the correct pattern is lex-i-COG-ra-phy.
Capitalizing 'COG' correctly represents the primary stress on the third syllable.

Key Concept

Antepenultimate stress placement on polysyllabic words ending in '-graphy'
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Word and Syllable Stress

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