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Stress in adjectival compounds
quickinfo

In adjectival compounds, the rightmost constituent is an adjective (A), while the initial constituent can be:

  1. a noun (N),
  2. an adjective (A),
  3. a verb (V)
Most adjectival compounds are of the type weak-strong, though NA compounds may also be of the strong-weak type. This difference in stress placement, however, does not hold in attributive position, where stress is on the first constituent, so that the contrast between strong-weak and weak-strong neutralizes.

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[+]NA compounds

NA compounds are normally stressed on the second constituent, but can also be stressed on the first one. Examples are given in (1):

1
a. NA compounds: weak-strong pattern
      fûgelfaai [[fûgel][faai]] [ˌfu.ɣəl.'fa:j] outlawed
      wrâldfrjemd [[wrald][frjemd]] [vrɔ:t.'frjɛmt] unworldly
      libbenslang [[libbens][lang]] [ˌlɪb.bə̃z.'laŋ] lifelong
      pikswart [[pik][swart]] [pɪk.'swat] pitch-black
      sniewyt [[snie][wyt]] [sniə.'vit] snow-white
      iiskâld [[iis][kâld]] [i:s.'kɔ:t] ice-cold
      oksedom [[okse][dom]] [ˌok.sə.'dom] as dumb as an ox
      kûgelfrij [[kûgel][frij]] [ˌku.ɣəl.'frɛj] bulletproof
b. NA compounds: strong-weak pattern
      earmsterk [[earm][sterk]] ['jɛrm.stɛrk] muscular
      wetterkâld [[wetter][kâld]] ['vɛt.tər.ˌkɔ:t] clammy
      kleureblyn [[kleure][blyn]] ['kløə.rə.ˌblin] colour blind
      paadwiis [[paad][wiis]] ['pa:t.vi:s] familiar
      lûklam (wêze) [[lûk][lam]] ['luk.lam] slogging along heavily
      seesiik [[see][siik]] ['se:.si:k] seasick
      snieblyn [[snie][blyn]] /'sniə.blin/ snow-blind
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In attributive position, stress shifts to the first constituent, as in in wrâldfjemd figuer an unwordly person and in kûgelfrij fest a bulletproof vest, where the adjectives are realized as ['vrɔ:t.frjɛmt] and ['ku.ɣəl.ˌfrɛj], respectively.

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There are also a few NA univerbations, in which the A is a present participle. Stress falls on the first constituent. Examples are given in (2):

i
tiidslinend [[tiid][slinend]] ['ti:t.sli.nənt] time-consuming
kantroerend [[kant][roerend]] ['kɔnt.ruə.rənt] closely
leabrekkend [[lea][brekkend]] ['lɪə.brɛk.kənt] physically heavy (work)
fleisitend [[fleis][itend]] ['flajz.i.tənt] carnivorous
[+]AA compounds

AA compounds are always stressed on the second constituent, as exemplified in (3):

2
a. coordinate AA compounds
      manysk-depressyf [[manysk][depressyf]] [ma:.nizɡ-de:.prɛs.'sif] manic-depressive
      blau-wyt [blau][wyt]] [blɔw-'vit] blue-white
b. subordinate AA compounds
      ierryp [[ier][ryp]] [iər.'rip] precocious
      wiidferneamd [[wiid][ferneamd]] [vi:t.fə.'nɪəmt] far-famed
      ljochtblau [[ljocht][blau]] [ljɔɣd.'blɔw] light blue
      lêstneamd [[lêst][neamd]] [lɛ:st.'nɪəmt] last (named/mentioned)
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In attributive use, stress shifts to the first constituent, both in coordinate and subordinate AA compounds. This means that the adjectives in, for instance, de manysk-depressive man the manic-depressive man and in ljochblau jaske a light blue jacket, have the stress patterns ['ma:.nisk.ˌde:.prɛs.ˌsivə] and ['ljɔɣd.blɔw], respectively.

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There are also a few AA univerbations, in which the second A is a present participle. Stress falls on the final constituent. Examples are given in (4):

i
wiidfiemjend [[wiid][fiemjend]] [vi:t.'fiəm.jənt] comprehensive
frijbliuwend [[frij][bliuwend]] [frɛj.'bljo:.wənt] free of obligations
heechsteand [[heech][steand]] [he:x.'stɪənt] high-minded

In attributive use, stress shifts to the first constituent, as in in wiidfiemjend útstel [ẽ 'vi:t.fiəm.jənt yt.stɛl] a comprehensive proposal and in heechsteand man [ən 'he:x.stɪənt mɔn] a high-minded man. The adjective selsrizend self-raising is also of this type; it only occurs in the collocation selsrizend bakmoal self-raising flour, so that it only shows up with initial stress: ['sɛlz.ri:.zənd bak.moəl].

[+]VA compounds

VA compounds are very rare. They have stress on either the first or the second constituent, as the examples in (5) show:

3
a. VA compounds: weak-strong pattern
      fonkelnij [[fonkel][nij]] [ˌfoŋ.kəl.'nɛj] brand new
      farklear [[far][klear]] [far.'klɪər] ready to sail
      printree [[print][ree]] [prɪnt.'re:] ready for printing
b. VA compounds: strong-weak pattern
      praatsiik [[praat][siik]] ['pra:t.si:k] chatty
      keapsjoch [[keap][sjoch]] ['kɪəp.sjox] presentable
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In attributive position, stress shifts to the first constituent, which only has an effect on the VA compounds with a weak-strong pattern ((5a)). Take har fonkelnije fytske her brand new tricycle, where fonkelnij is realized as ['foŋ.kəl.ˌnɛj].

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More details about adjectival compounds can be found in Adjectival compounds.

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