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Question

Difficulty: MediumWord and Syllable Stress

In English phonology, words ending in the suffix -ity place primary accentual emphasis on the syllable immediately preceding the suffix. How is primary stress correctly indicated for the word curiosity?

  1. cu-ri-OS-i-tyAnswer
  2. B
    cu-RI-os-i-ty
  3. C
    CU-ri-os-i-ty
  4. D
    cu-ri-os-i-TY

Answer

The correct stress rendering for 'curiosity' is cu-ri-OS-i-ty, where the primary stress is placed on the third syllable.
The option showing capitalization on the third syllable ('cu-ri-OS-i-ty') is correct because words ending in '-ity' automatically place primary stress on the syllable immediately preceding the suffix (the antepenultimate syllable).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the word structure and suffix
The word 'curiosity' is a five-syllable noun ending in the nominal suffix '-ity'.
Suffixes in English determine stress placement rules.
2
Apply the phonological rule for '-ity' suffixed words
The suffix '-ity' causes stress to fall on the syllable directly before it (the antepenultimate syllable).
Nouns with '-ity' consistently pull primary stress to the pre-suffix syllable (e.g., a-BIL-i-ty, e-QUAL-i-ty, cu-ri-OS-i-ty).
3
Locate the target stressed syllable
In 'cu-ri-os-i-ty', the antepenultimate syllable is 'OS'. Thus, the primary stress is on 'OS' (cu-ri-OS-i-ty).
Capitalizing 'OS' correctly marks primary syllable stress.

Key Concept

Suffix-conditioned word stress (-ity rule)
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Word and Syllable Stress

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