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Superheavy syllables
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Superheavy syllables in Dutch have several characteristics regarding their segmental make-up, occurrence restrictions within a prosodic word, and their behaviour in stress assignment. Superheavy syllables are determined on the basis of their rhyme structure: they minimally contain either an A-class vowel plus one consonant (AC), a diphthong plus a consonant (DC), or a B-class vowel plus two consonants (BCC). Furthermore, there can be an additional coda consonant following the first consonant, in rare cases even two: these post-consonantal positions can only be occupied by coronal obstruents (see Segmental structure of superheavy syllables).

In morphologically complex words, extended superheavy syllables occur at a more regular level; up to three consonants can follow a basic superheavy syllable. Another important characteristic of superheavy syllables is their restriction to the final position in a prosodic word: non-final superheavy syllables are prohibited. Finally, superheavy syllables are strong stress attractors (Van der Hulst 1984; Gussenhoven 2009).

The notion ‘superheavy’ historically derives from certain assumptions concerning the representation of syllable weight in Dutch (Kager and Visch 1983; Visch and Kager 1984; Lahiri and Koreman 1988; Zonneveld 1993; Gussenhoven 2009; Van Oostendorp 2012).

References
  • Gussenhoven, Carlos2009Vowel duration, syllable quantity and stress in DutchThe nature of the word. Essays in honor of Paul KiparskyCambridge, MA.; LondonMIT Press181--198
  • Gussenhoven, Carlos2009Vowel duration, syllable quantity and stress in DutchThe nature of the word. Essays in honor of Paul KiparskyCambridge, MA.; LondonMIT Press181--198
  • Hulst, Harry van der1984Syllable structure and stress in DutchDordrechtForis
  • Kager, René & Visch, Ellis1983Een metrische analyse van ritmische klemtoonverschijnselenUtrecht UniversityThesis
  • Lahiri, A. & Koreman, J1988Syllable weight and quantity in DutchWest Coast Conference on Formal Linguistics7217-228
  • Oostendorp, Marc van2012Quantity and the Three-Syllable Window in Dutch word stressLanguage and Linguistics Compass6.6343-358
  • Visch, Ellis & Kager, René1984Syllable weight and Dutch word stressBennis, H. & Lessen Kloeke, W. van (eds.)Linguistics in the Netherlands10Benjamins
  • Zonneveld, Wim1993Schwa, Superheavies, Stress and Syllables in DutchThe Linguistic Review1061-110
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