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    Primary stress on diphthongs in monomorphemes
    quickinfo

    The three so-called pure diphthongs ( /əi/, /œu/ and /œy/), as well as the impure ones ( /eu/, /oi/, /ai/ and /ui/), may all occur in open syllables at the end of especially monosyllabic words. In closed syllables, their occurrence word-finally is much more restricted. Of the pure diphthongs, /əi/ is by far the most frequent, occurring especially in monomorphemes ending on teit, that is /-təit/; and also in a few heid words, such as moontheid (-heid is a productive morpheme for noun-formation). The rounded components of /œu/ and /œy/ are highly susceptible to derounding, rendering [əu] and [əi]. This phenomenon is dealt with in detail in a separate topic (under Phonological Processes).

    In the case of bisyllabic and multisyllabic monomorphemes, these diphthongs are stressed almost without exception in Afrikaans (i.e. there are a couple of exceptions); in Dutch pure diphthongs always carry primary stress (i.e. without exception), compared with respect to /ɛi/: "there are no monomorphemic words with  /ɛi/ (also /œy/ and /ɑu/)  in unstressed position" (see the topic on the Dutch vowel inventory). In Afrikaans the situation is, therefore, a little less restrictive. Consult the following for a general overview of Dutch stress: (Booij 1995).

    The following articles should be taken into account as important background information:

    By way of orientation with respect to all topics concerning stress placement in Afrikaans monomorphemes, the following reference list should be consulted:

    (De Stadler 1981; Combrink and De Stadler 1987; De Stadler 1991; De Villiers 1965; De Villiers and Ponelis 1992; Lee 1963; Le Roux 1936; Le Roux and Pienaar 1927; Lubbe 1993; Wissing 1971; Wissing 1987; Wissing 1988; Wissing 1989; Wissing 1991; Wissing 2017)

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    The fact that true diphthongs occur freely in monosyllabic words is not relevant for the topic of stress-treatment in Afrikaans. What is of specific interest is their behaviour in word-final position in bi- and multisyllabic monomorphemes i.e. in open as well as closed syllables primary stress on pure diphthongs is the general trend (e.g. battery /bɑ.tə.'rəi/ battery; karmosyn /kɑr.mu.'səin/ crimson). In a subclass of words, with suffixes containing a single schwa, penultimate stress is the consequence if the relevant syllable has a pure diphthong as nucleus, e.g. kabouter /kɑ.'bœu.tər/ dwarf. In a few cases, even antepenultimate stress is present, viz. in monomorphemes with multisyllabic suffixes containing two unstressable schwas, as in duidelik /'dœy.də.lək/ clear.

    To a limited extent, unpure diphthongs also occur in word-final syllables of bi- and multisyllabic monomorphemes, as in papegaai /pɑ.pə.'xai/ parrot and toernooi /tur.'noi/ tournament, although almost exclusively in bisyllabic monomorphemes.

    [+]Pure diphthongs

    In the following Extras, representative examples of monomorphemes ending on the pure diphthong /əi/ are presented. In the Note sections attention is paid to some special characteristics, including those exceptions where this diphthong does not carry primary stress in final position.

    The pure diphtong /əi/ in open syllables
    Table 1: The pure diphtong /əi/ in open syllables
    Examples
    baklei pastei
    tensy plavei
    turksvy battery
    vallei galery
    kasty maatskappy
    kontrei raserny
    oukei redery
    party spesery

    1. Afrikaans spells  /əi/ in two different ways: as ei and y.
    2. Stressed /əi/ occurs in bi- as well as in multisyllabic monomorphemes in word-final position.
    3. Neither the structure of the preceding syllable nor the quality of the preceding vowel has any influence on stress placement and neither does the number of syllables in the word.
    4. A number of exceptions to final stress exist however, such as aambei /'am.bəi/ hemorroid, arbei /'ɑr.bəi/ labor and moerbei /'mur.bəi/ mulberry. All such cases have normal compound stress, i.e. on the first component. (See Overview of Main Stress Rules).

    Occurences of /əi/ with coda /n/ in word-final, closed syllables
    Table 2: Occurences of /əi/ with coda /n/ in word-final, closed syllables
    Examples
    asyn fontein mannekyn roosmaryn
    baldakyn gordyn marlyn rosyn
    balein harlekyn merlyn sardyn
    begyn Jakobyn Palestyn soewerein
    Bisantyn jasmyn porselein stoïsyn
    brandewyn kaptein praktisyn tamboeryn
    dolfyn karmosyn puritein termyn
    domein kelkiewyn rabbyn terpentyn
    dosyn konyn ravyn terrein
    Filippyn kosyn refrein tornyn
    Filistyn kwarantyn robyn woestyn
    floryn Latyn

    1. The remarks 1-3, made in the previous Note section, are applicable here too.
    2. Apart from these words with /n/ as coda, a small number of cases with the fricative /s/ as coda is found, viz. matrys, paradys, patrys, polys and radys, as well as the place name Parys.
    3. A small number of exceptions to the general pattern include arbeid /'ar.bəid/ labor (see also arbei /'ɑr.bəi/ labor above) and aalwyn /'al.vəin/ aloe. The remark in the previous Note 4 regarding compound stress is relevant here too.

    While the diphthong /əi/ of -heid is stress-deterring (as in moontheid /'mont.ɦəid/), in -(i)teit this diphthong is a strong attractor of primary stress. The following monomorphemes all have stress on the final diphthong: fasiliteit; identiteit; kwaliteit; munisipaliteit; sekuriteit; universiteit. This is also the case in normal derivations, as in absurditeit, aktiwiteit, banaliteit, depressiwiteit and many more.

    The other two pure diphthongs, /œu/ and /œy/, are not frequent in all contexts, and, contrary to what is claimed to be the case in Dutch (see Quick info above), do not always carry primary stress. The following couple of Extras serve as a demonstration of the behaviour of /œu/ and /œy/. With respect to /œu/, applous /ɑ.'plœus/ applause and herout /ɦe.'rœut/ herald are the sole examples of its appearance as stressed in a word-final closed syllable.

    Stressed, word-final /œu/
    Table 3: Stressed, word-final /œu/
    Open syllables Closed syllables
    juffrou kabouter
    kabeljou klouter
    mevrou louere
    Moskou louter
    oulik
    pouse
    skouer

    1. The diphtong /œu/ in open word-final position is extremely rare. In (1) only kabeljou and mevrou have stress on the final syllable containing the diphthong.
    2. In non-final position, as in (2), it does carry stress, due to the presence of schwa in the unstressable pseudo-suffixes, as in louter and louere. (See Primary stress in monomorphemes ending on Type-II schwa).

    [+]Unstressed diphthongs

    In a limited number of cases, the /œu/ diphthong is unstressed, as in the table beneath.

    Unstressed /œu/
    Table 4: Unstressed /œu/
    Examples
    gloukoom outomaat
    lourier outomaat
    oudiensies outomobiel
    oudisie outonoom
    ouditeur outopsie
    outentiek tesourie
    outeur outoriteit

    1. It seems clear that, in Afrikaans, position is the overriding factor in terms of determining stress placement in a word, even in words where diphthongs are present. Except for oudiënsies, oudisie and outopsie, the final syllable is stressed in all the examples above.

    [+]The phoneme /œy/

    This diphthong does not occur in word-final, open syllables.

    The phoneme /œy/ in examples
    Table 5: The phoneme /œy/ in examples
    Examples
    abuis duisend
    aluin duister
    basuin fluister
    biskuit huiwer
    fortuin kluister
    harpius kuiken
    inkluis luiperd
    kajuit luister
    kombuis sluimer
    konsuis struikel
    kornuit stuiwer
    kwansuis suiker
    meesmuil suiwer
    tuimel

    1. In monomorphemes ending on pseudo-suffixes (as in (2)), penultimate stress is the norm (See Primary stress in monomorphemes ending on Type-II schwa. In other cases (cf. (1)), /œy/ is stressed when occuring in closed syllables word-finally, the coda being one of the anterior consonants /s/, /t/, /n/ and /l/. In rare cases of pseudo-compounds, such as sintuig, skeurbuik and weeluis, /œy/ is unstressed (Overview of Main Stress Rules).

    [+]Unpure diphthongs

    Afrikaans only has a very restricted set of words ending on two of the four unpure diphthongs, viz. /ai/ and /oi/, most of them being bisyllabic, and the diphthong almost always carrying primary stress. They are given in the table beneath:

    Word-final unpure diphthongs /ai/ and /oi/
    Table 6: Word-final unpure diphthongs /ai/ and /oi/
    /ai/ /oi/
    aspaai konvooi
    bohaai oktrooi
    kabaai pleidooi
    koebaai toernooi
    lawaai voltooi
    poegaai
    tamaai
    assegaai
    papegaai

    1. koebaai (from Eng. goodbye )and poegaai may, variably, exhibit penultimate stress. Both are rather informal words.
    2. In some descriptions, as in Dutch (see Booij 1995), aai and ooi are not regarded as diphthongs but as long vowels with the consonant /j/ as coda.

    References
    • Booij, Geert1995The phonology of DutchOxfordOxford University Press
    • Booij, Geert1995The phonology of DutchOxfordOxford University Press
    • Combrink, J.G.H. & De Stadler, L.G1987Afrikaanse fonologie.Macmillan
    • De Stadler, L.G1981Die klemkontoere van die simplekse selfstandige naamwoord in Afrikaans: 'n NGF-siening.Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe21285-295,
    • De Stadler, L.G1991Oor die klemtoon van Afrikaanse simplekse: re Wissing.South African Journal of Linguistics = Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif vir Taalkunde941-46,
    • De Villiers, M1965Aspekte van woordaksent.
    • De Villiers, M. & Ponelis, F.A1992Afrikaanse klankleer.Tafelberg
    • Le Roux, J.J1936Die uitspraak van Afrikaans.Huisgenoot2031,
    • Le Roux, T.H. & Pienaar, P. de V1927Afrikaanse fonetiek.Juta
    • Lee, A.S1963Klem in Afrikaans.Thesis
    • Lubbe, H.J1993Oor die klemtoon van Afrikaanse simplekse: re Wissing én De Stadler.South African Journal of Linguistics = Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif vir Taalkunde118-17,
    • Wissing, D1987Klemtoon en tweesillabige Afrikaanse simplekse: eksperiment.South African Journal of Linguistics = Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif vir Taalkunde5105-139,
    • Wissing, D1989Die klempatrone van Afrikaanse en Nederlandse simplekse: 'n vergelyking.Literator1050-65,
    • Wissing, D1991Is Afrikaans 'n inisiëleklemtoontaal?South African Journal of Linguistics = Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif vir Taalkunde947-57,
    • Wissing, D.P1971Fonologie en morfologie van die simplekse selfstandige naamwoord in Afrikaans: 'n transformasioneel-generatiewe beskrywing.Thesis
    • Wissing, D.P1988Die Afrikaanse en Nederlandse verkleiningsisteme: 'n vergelyking in metries-fonologiese kader.Literator962-75,
    • Wissing, Daan2017FonologieVan Schaik
    About this article
    Author(s): Daan Wissing
    Category: Afrikaans Phonology
    Keywords: stresspure and unpure diphthongsbisyllabicmultisyllabicword-finalopen and closed syllables
    Version: 1.0, May 2020
    Version history:
    version editor(s) date remarks
    1.0 Daan Wissing May 2020
    This is a beta version.
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