Question

Difficulty: EasyWord and Syllable Stress

Which of the following options indicates the correct primary syllable stress placement in the word 'technology'?

  1. A
    TECH-nol-o-gy
  2. tech-NOL-o-gyAnswer
  3. C
    tech-nol-O-gy
  4. D
    tech-nol-o-GY

Answer

tech-NOL-o-gy
The option 'tech-NOL-o-gy' is correct because English multisyllabic words ending with the suffix '-logy' systematically place primary stress on the antepenultimate syllable, which is the second syllable 'NOL'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the total number of syllables in the word 'technology'.
The word consists of four syllables: tech-nol-o-gy.
Determining syllable division is essential before applying phonological stress rules.
2
Apply the suffix-conditioned stress rule for words ending in '-logy'.
Nouns ending in the suffix '-logy' receive primary stress on the antepenultimate syllable (third syllable from the end).
In English phonology, the '-logy' suffix forces primary accent onto the preceding syllable.
3
Locate the antepenultimate syllable in 'technology'.
Counting backwards from the end (-gy [1], -o- [2], -nol- [3]), the antepenultimate syllable is 'NOL'.
Capitalizing 'NOL' represents the correct primary stress placement: tech-NOL-o-gy.

Key Concept

Antepenultimate Syllable Stress Placement for '-logy' Suffixes
Estimated Time:45s
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