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Germanic accent, syllabication and the origin of Scandinavian accentuation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 December 2008

Abstract

A proposal to abandon the assumption of word accent (either pitch or stress) for Germanic is seen overall as unprofitable. The dilemma of syllable division is resolved against CVC.V and for CV.CV on general considerations following Murray and Vennemann and specific considerations allowing a better analysis of the conditions surrounding Verner's Law. It is proposed that a new Germanic heavy syllable accent, when double-peaked on words with heavy suffixes gave rise to Scandinavian accent 2, and when single-peaked on heavy roots with light suffixes, gave rise to accent 1 and to Danish stød.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Germanic Linguistics 1992

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References

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