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Difficulty: Very hardWord and Syllable Stress

In English phonology, words ending with the nominalizing suffix '-ity' follow specific stress assignment rules. Which of the following options correctly indicates the primary syllable stress placement for the word 'superiority'?

  1. A
    su-PE-ri-or-i-ty
  2. B
    su-pe-RI-or-i-ty
  3. su-pe-ri-OR-i-tyAnswer
  4. D
    su-pe-ri-or-I-ty

Answer

The correct stress placement is su-pe-ri-OR-i-ty, where the primary stress falls on the fourth syllable.
The word 'superiority' is a six-syllable word ending with the suffix '-ity'. Standard English accentuation rules dictate that words ending in '-ity' carry primary stress on the antepenultimate syllable (the third syllable from the end). In 'su-pe-ri-or-i-ty', counting back from the end places the stress on the fourth syllable 'OR' (su-pe-ri-OR-i-ty).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the syllable structure and suffix of the target word.
The word 'superiority' consists of six syllables: su-pe-ri-or-i-ty, ending with the suffix '-ity'.
Identifying word endings helps determine which stress rule applies.
2
Apply the phonological stress rule for words ending in '-ity'.
Suffixes like '-ity' cause the primary stress to shift to the antepenultimate syllable (the third syllable from the end of the word).
In English, polysyllabic words ending in '-ity' consistently stress the syllable immediately preceding '-ity'.
3
Count back from the final syllable to locate the antepenultimate syllable.
Syllable 6: '-ty' (ult), Syllable 5: '-i-' (penult), Syllable 4: '-OR-' (antepenult). Thus, primary stress falls on 'OR'.
Counting syllables backwards from the end ensures precise stress identification.

Key Concept

Suffix-conditioned Stress Shifts (-ity)
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Topics

Word and Syllable Stress

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