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Difficulty: MediumWord and Syllable Stress

Words ending in the adjectival suffix -ial follow a predictable accentual pattern in Oral English phonology. Which of the following options correctly indicates the primary stress placement for the word confidential?

  1. A
    CON-fi-den-tial
  2. B
    con-FI-den-tial
  3. con-fi-DEN-tialAnswer
  4. D
    con-fi-den-TIAL

Answer

The correct stress placement for the word is 'con-fi-DEN-tial', where primary stress falls on the third syllable.
In English phonology, words ending with suffix '-ial' regularly take primary stress on the syllable immediately preceding the suffix. In the four-syllable word 'confidential' (con-fi-den-tial), the third syllable 'DEN' precedes the suffix, making 'con-fi-DEN-tial' the correct accentual pattern.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the morphological structure of the target word
The target word 'confidential' consists of four syllables (con-fi-den-tial) and carries the adjectival suffix '-ial'.
Stress assignment in English polysyllabic words is heavily influenced by terminal suffixes.
2
Apply the stress rule for the suffix '-ial'
Suffixes such as '-ial', '-ic', '-ity', and '-ious' dictate that primary stress must fall on the syllable immediately preceding the suffix (the penultimate position relative to the suffix).
In 'confidential', the syllable directly preceding '-tial' is '-DEN-'. Therefore, primary stress is placed on the third syllable.

Key Concept

Suffix-conditioned primary stress placement (-ial suffix rule)
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Topics

Word and Syllable Stress

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