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Question

Difficulty: EasyWord and Syllable Stress

Complete the sentence by supplying the syllabified form of the word academic, using UPPERCASE letters to indicate the primary stressed syllable.

Answer:The university published an 【ac-a-DEM-ic】 journal focused on modern linguistic theories.

Answer

ac-a-DEM-ic
In English phonology, words ending with the adjectival suffix '-ic' (such as 'academic', 'economic', 'demographic') systematically place primary accentual stress on the penultimate (second-from-last) syllable. Therefore, the stress falls on 'dem', giving 'ac-a-DEM-ic'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Divide the word 'academic' into its component syllables.
The word consists of four syllables: ac - a - dem - ic.
Identifying syllable boundaries is necessary before locating stress placement.
2
Apply the stress rule for words ending in the suffix '-ic'.
Primary stress falls on the penultimate (second-to-last) syllable: 'dem'.
English phonology dictates that adjectival words ending in '-ic' place primary stress on the syllable immediately preceding the suffix.
3
Capitalize the stressed syllable to complete the required format.
ac-a-DEM-ic
UPPERCASE letters highlight the primary stress on the third syllable.

Key Concept

Penultimate Syllable Stress for '-ic' Suffixes
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Topics

Word and Syllable Stress

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