| ROA: | 301 |
|---|---|
| Title: | German Word Stress in Optimality Theory |
| Authors: | Caroline Fery |
| Comment: | |
| Length: | 42 |
| Abstract: | German Word Stress in Optimality Theory Caroline Fery University of Tuebingen (to appear in Journal of Comparative Germanic Linguistics) An analysis based on a careful empirical study of lexical stress in German can explain some intricate phenomena which have been given various accounts in the literature. The proposed analysis of stress is couched in the framework of Optimality Theory, making use of a small number of independently motivated constraints. The following properties of lexical stress in German monomorphemes are demonstrated: - German is a quantity-sensitive language. - In monomorphemes, regular main stress is on the penult if the final syllable is light, and on the final syllable if it is heavy. In trisyllabic words with a penultimate schwa syllable, main stress is antepenultimate. - Footing is not exhaustive. An optional secondary stress may be on the first syllable, except if secondary stress would provoke a stress clash. - Exceptional stress is restricted to final stress on some light syllables, penultimate stress in some words with a final heavy syllable and antepenultimate stress in some words with an open penult or a penult closed by an ambisyllabic consonant. Some trisyllabic and quadrisyllabic words show a compound-like stress pattern. |
| Type: | Paper/tech report |
| Area/Keywords: | |
| Article: | Version 1 |