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    Primary stress in Type-II monomorphemes ending on schwa
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    Prefinal stress placement is dominant in monomorphemes with a word-final schwa. We distinguish between two types: Type I monomorphemes with a final syllable consisting of a single final schwa e or, alternatively, containing schwa followed by a word-final coda consisting of one of the following sonorants: /n/; /m/; /l/; /r/; /ŋ/: Type II examples, on the other hand, have a final syllable with schwa + obstruent consonants /k/, /x/ and /s/ as coda (e.g. -ig, -lik, -nis). As in the case of Type-I forms (see The short vowels of Afrikaans) the stress-assigning factor of syllable position is more important than other factors such as syllable structure or vowel quality and quantity.

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

    • Concerning the general stress pattern of Afrikaans monomorphemes: Overview of main stress
    • Concerning the criteria for classifying words as monomorphemes: Background to primary stress of Afrikaans monomorphemes
    • As an 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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      In this section, we provide evidence for across-the-board penultimate stress placement in monomorphemes ending in pseudo suffixes of the Type II kind i.e. having a schwa as nucleus followed by a single obstruent consonant as word-final coda, as found in the three pseudo-affixes -ig, -lik, and -nis. The focus on these three specific suffixes is simply by way of demonstrating the importance of syllable position in terms of stress-assignment; they are not the complete set of syllables of this type. Examples and discussion follow beneath; examples are provided in Extra, followed by notes (in Note) where applicable.

      In the following three sets of Extras, lists of monomorphemes containing the three pseudo suffixes -ig, -lik, and -nis are presented.

      The pseudo suffix -ig
      Table 1: The pseudo suffix -ig
      Examples
      aaklig getuig kranig skigtig
      aardig gewig kundig slordig
      allig gewrig lastig snedig
      berig gierig ledig stadig
      besig gretig lenig statig
      betig guitig menig stewig
      bitsig gulsig mollig stuitig
      bondig heftig mondig suinig
      bonkig heilig nietig vaardig
      danig hewig nodig vadsig
      deftig hitsig nuttig veilig
      drassig hitte ontwrig verrig
      driftig innig oortuig vestig
      dynsig kamstig orig vinnig
      egalig komtig plegtig weinig
      ewewig karig rêrig welig
      ewig koddig salig wragtig
      gedig kondig sedig wysig

      Multisyllabic examples of pseudo suffix -ig
      Table 2: Multisyllabic examples of pseudo suffix -ig
      Examples
      agtelosig ewewydig naburig regverdig versigtig
      agterstallig gesellig netelig selfstandig vervaardig
      arglistig geweldig nooddruftig sorgvuldig verwerdig
      armlastig gulhartig noodwendig spitsvondig verwittig
      baldadig halsstarrig noukeurig standvastig volledig
      barmhartig hovaardig nuuskierig toenmalig voorbarig
      bedompig iesegrimmig omslagtig uitbundig voorlopig
      bedrywig inkennig onderhewig uitermatig voormalig
      behartig inwendig onderhorig uitwendig vrymoedig
      behendig kammakastig onnutsig verdedig vrypostig
      besadig lieftallig ontugtig verlustig vrywillig
      besoldig ligsinnig onverskillig vernietig wederstrewig
      boetvaardig manhaftig oorbodig verontskuldig weerbarsitg
      eienaardig milddadig parmantig verontwaardig wispelturig
      eweredig naarstig rampsalig versadig wisselvallig

      1. With respect to bisyllabic monomorphemes, be- and ge-, as in the case of berig and betig, and gedig, getuig, gewig and gewrig, act as true prefixes, and thus force the final syllables in each case to be stressed, as is normal in instances such as bekyk (from be+kyk and gesien (from ge+sien). In all other bisyllabic monomorphemes stress is penultimate. (See Primary stress in monomorphemes ending on Type-I schwa)
      2. Penultimate stress is also evident in multisyllabic monomorphemes. Notice that this is also apparent in words with four syllables (e.g. agtelosig, agterstallig and wisselvallig).
      3. As is the case with other types of monomorphemes where pseudo suffixes are involved, syllable structure as well as vowel quality again do not seem to be of special significance as potential stress-assignment factors, as stressed vowels occur freely in open as well as closed syllables and they may be short or long, high, mid or low, front or back as well as round or unround. All occur in prefinal position, even including neutral schwa as in the the words ligsinnig, onverskillig and versigtig. In comparison, schwa is unstressable in Dutch.
      4. Overall, as was the case with Type I examples, penultimate stress is thus the preferred pattern with Type-II words.

      The following list presents examples of both bisyllabic and multisyllabic monomorphemes containing the pseudo suffix -lik.

      Examples with the pseudo suffix -lik
      Table 3: Examples with the pseudo suffix -lik
      Bisyllabic a-m Bisyllabic n-z Multisyllabic a-n Multisyllabic o-w
      billik naamlik aanvanklik ongelooflik
      deeglik nimlik afhanklik ongenoeglik
      eintlik olik afsigtelik onhebbelik
      haglik oomblik behoorlik onmiddelik
      heerlik oulik christelik onteenseglik
      heimlik relik dadelik ordentlik
      heuglik sinlik dergelik potsierlik
      konflik skaflik duidelik respektiewelik
      kwalik skielik eindelik sindelik
      lelik skiklik huwelik uiterlik
      maklik taamlik innerlik verganklik
      mislik vrolik klaarblyklik vergoelik
      moeilik yslik liederlik verwesenlik
      naarstiglik waarskynlik

      1. Prefinal stress is evident in bisyllabic words; relik is an exception.
      2. This syllable is mostly closed in bisyllabic forms. The vowels of the first syllable are long when occurring in open syllables.
      3. All but two of the twelve vowels of Afrikaans occupy the stressed position, rendering vowel quality not particularly significant in terms of determining stress assignment.
      4. In cases where the pseudo suffix is -elik, thus containing two consecutive (unstressable) schwas in nucleus position, antepenultimate syllables are stressed (e.g. in dadelik, huwelik). Other pseudo suffixes that determine the same pattern of stress-assignment are -enlik, -erlik and -iglik (in resp. verwesenlik, liederlik and naarstiglik).

      The examples in the following Extra contain the pseudo suffix -nis in bisyllabic as well as multisyllabic monomorphemes.

      Examples with the pseudo suffix -nis
      Table 4: Examples with the pseudo suffix -nis
      Bisyllabic Multisyllabic A Multisyllabic B
      deernis adonis heugenis
      disnis antagonis humanis
      finis beeltenis kolonis
      kanis beslommernis kommunis
      penis chauvinis komponis
      pianis feminis ontstentenis
      tennis geskiedenis opportunis
      vernis hedonis paganis
      vonnis hegtenis

      1. Monomorphemes with -nis as pseudo suffix are rather rare in Afrikaans, and the suffix itself is not very productive as a noun-forming suffix. Examples, however, include cases such as kennis knowledge and hindernis obstacle, nouns derived from the verbs ken to know and hinder to obstruct.
      2. The bold-faced instances above constitute a similar type of noun to that mentioned in (1), although the stems of these words are not as easily decomposable. Words like sadis sadist, with pseudo suffix -is constitute an independent group; -is here is not the morpheme used in Afrikaans for male gender assignment as in, for example, motoris motorist (from the word motor), and toeris tourist, (from the word motor). Words like sadis and joernalis are rather true monomorphemes; it seems unlikely that non-linguists are able to trace joernalis for example back to the (seldomly used) word joernaal. See motivation of pseudo-derivations as monomorphemes in Background to primary stress of Afrikaans monomorphemes.
      3. In a few cases, antepenultimate stress is observable, namely in words like beeltenis, beslommernis and geskiedenis. Note, however, that in these cases the normal stress placement position – penultimate – is occupied by schwa, so that the first full vowel other than schwa from the right is stressed. Similar to the case with -lik and variations on it (see above), monomorphemes with pseudo suffixes containing only schwas like -enis and -ernis, are not stressable on the penultimate syllable and therefore antepenultimate stress is prevalent. See Primary stress in monomorphemes ending on Type-I schwa.

      References
      • 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: primary stressschwapseudo suffixes
      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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