20 Lesson n°10
20.1 Rule
The syllable before the suffix carries primary stress.
The vowel takes its orthographic value except <-i->, which is lax.
20.1.1 Extending the rule
- Extended <-ion>: < e/i/u/y + V1 + C 0 + (e) >
| Word | Stress Pattern | IPA (RP) | Received Pronunciation | General American |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| habitual | /0100/ | /hə.’bɪtʃ.u.əl/ | /hə.’bɪtʃ.u.əl/ | |
| courageous | /010/ | /kə.’reɪdʒ.əs/ | /kə.’reɪdʒ.əs/ | |
| superfluous | /0100/ | /su.’pɜːf.lu.əs/ | superfluous | |
| official | /010/ | /ə.’fɪʃ.əl/ | /ə.’fɪʃ.əl/ | |
| ingredient | /0100/ | /ɪn.’griːd.i.ənt/ | /ɪn.’griːd.i.ənt/ | |
| cereal | /100/ | /’sɪər.i.əl/ | /’sɪr.i.əl/ | |
| delicious | /010/ | /di.’lɪʃ.əs/ | /di.’lɪʃ.əs/ | |
| insomniac | /0100/ | /ɪn.’sɒm.ni.æk/ | /ˌæn.’sɑːm.ni.ˌæk/ | |
| influence | /100/ | /’ɪnf.lu.əns/ | /’ɪnf.lu.əns/ | |
| peculiar | /0100/ | /pi.’kjuːl.i.ə/ | peculiar |
BEWARE! the suffix can be pronounced either in one syllable (“nation”), or two (“peculiar”).
So now you’re able to figure out the correct pronunciation of a lot of words!
Can you find a notorious exception?
| Word | Stress Pattern | IPA (RP) | Received Pronunciation | General American |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| notorious | /0100/ | /nəʊ.’tɔːr.i.əs/ | /nəʊ.’tɔːr.i.əs/ | |
| exception | /010/ | /ɪk.’sep.ʃən/ | /ɪk.’sep.ʃən/ | |
| television | /1020/ | /’tel.ɪ.ˌvɪʒ.ən/ | /’tel.ɪ.ˌvɪʒ.ən/ | |
| perpetual | /0100/ | /pə.’petʃ.u.əl/ | /pə.’petʃ.u.əl/ | |
| relationship | /0100/ | /ri.’leɪʃ.ən.ʃɪp/ | /ri.’leɪʃ.ən.ˌʃɪp/ | |
| magician | /010/ | /mə.’dʒɪʃ.ən/ | /mə.’dʒɪʃ.ən/ | |
| mysterious | /0100/ | /mi.’stɪər.i.əs/ | /ˌmɪ.’stɪr.i.əs/ | |
| impressionist | /0100/ | /ɪm.’preʃ.ən.ɪst/ | /ˌɪm.’preʃ.ən.ɪst/ | |
| punctually | /1000/ | /’pʌŋk.tʃu.əl.i/ | punctually | |
| conveniently | /01000/ | /kən.’viːn.i.ənt.li/ | conveniently | |
| championship | /1000/ | /’tʃæmp.i.ən.ʃɪp/ | /’tʃæmp.i.ən.ˌʃɪp/ |
20.2 Words ending with -ee/-oo(C)
| Word | Stress Pattern | IPA (RP) | Received Pronunciation | General American |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| kangaroo | /201/ | /ˌkæŋ.gə.’ruː/ | /ˌkæŋ.gə.’ruː/ | |
| balloon | /01/ | /bə.’luːn/ | /bə.’luːn/ | |
| guarantee | /201/ | /ˌgær.ən.’tiː/ | /ˌger.ən.’tiː/ | |
| discreet | /01/ | /di.’skriːt/ | /ˌdɪ.’skriːt/ | |
| genteel | /01/ | /dʒen.’tiːl/ | /dʒen.’tiːl/ | |
| degree | /01/ | /di.’griː/ | /di.’griː/ | |
| refugee | /201/ | /ˌref.ju.’dʒiː/ | /’ref.ju.dʒiː/ | |
| bamboo | /21/ | /ˌbæm.’buː/ | /bæm.’buː/ | |
| saloon | /01/ | /sə.’luːn/ | /sə.’luːn/ | |
| referee | /201/ | /ˌref.ə.’riː/ | /ˌref.ə.’riː/ | |
| cartoon | /01/ | /kɑː.’tuːn/ | /kɑː.’tuːn/ | |
| tycoon | /01/ | /taɪ.’kuːn/ | /taɪ.’kuːn/ | |
| monsoon | /21/ | /ˌmɒn.’suːn/ | /mɒn.’suːn/ | |
| career | /01/ | /kə.’rɪə/ | /kə.’rɪr/ | |
| taboo | /01/ | /tə.’buː/ | /tə.’buː/ | |
| jamboree | /201/ | /ˌdʒæm.bə.’riː/ | jamboree | |
| trainee | /21/ | /ˌtreɪ.’niː/ | /’treɪ.’neɪ/ | |
| careen | /01/ | /kə.’riːn/ | /kə.’riːn/ | |
| tattoo | /01/ | /tæ.’tuː/ | /tæ.’tuː/ | |
| dragoon | /01/ | /drə.’guːn/ | dragoon | |
| engineer | /201/ | /ˌendʒ.ɪ.’nɪə/ | /ˌendʒ.ɪ.’nɪr/ | |
| volunteer | /201/ | /ˌvɒl.ən.’tɪə/ | /ˌvɑːl.ən.’tɪr/ | |
| payee | /21/ | /ˌpeɪ.’iː/ | payee | |
| nominee | /201/ | /ˌnɒm.ɪ.’niː/ | /ˌnɑːm.ɪ.’niː/ | |
| canteen | /01/ | /kæn.’tiːn/ | /kæn.’tiːn/ | |
| trustee | /21/ | /ˌtrʌ.’stiː/ | /ˌtrʌ.’stiː/ | |
| bassoon | /01/ | /bə.’suːn/ | /bə.’suːn/ | |
| addressee | /201/ | /ˌædr.es.’iː/ | /ˌædr.es.’iː/ | |
| buffoon | /01/ | /bə.’fuːn/ | /bə.’fuːn/ | |
| dedicatee | /2001/ | /ˌded.ɪk.ə.’tiː/ | dedicatee | |
| baboon | /01/ | /bə.’buːn/ | /bə.’buːn/ |