Stress Rules

Below is the hierarchy of primary stress rules for Asha'ille. The first matching rule found is applied, so that rule 1 takes precedence over rule 2, etc.

1. syllable with a written accent mark
2. syllable with /x/
3. syllable with /e/ (when spelled as ae)
4. last syllable of a verb (not counting suffixes)
5. syllable of the form /Vl/ (when spelled as Vlle)
6. in a "stuttered consonant" word, stress is /C@_X'CV/
7. syllable with /ð/
8. penultimate syllable

In words with apostrophes dividing them, the above stress rules apply to the second half of the word only. The only way for the first half of an apostrophed word to carry the primary stress is for it to have a written accent mark, with the exception of words whose pre-apostrophe syllable is Vlle (for example, ille'aden, ille'jhen ).

If a word requires an accent mark in the singular, it will retain the accent mark in the plural, even when the plural suffix adds a syllable.

Examples

Rule 0: Apostrophes

Note that apostrophes used to lengthen liquids, bind morphemes, or separate vowels that would otherwise be an illegal consecutive pair do not invoke this rule. (Sometimes an apostrophe is both a vowel-separator and a stress-rule apostrophe. These instances must, unfortunately, but memorized.)

• di'ay has primary stress on the last syllable, by rule 0. Otherwise, it would have had primary stress on the first syllable, by rule 8.

Rule 1: Written accent

• adáshav has primary stress on the second syllable, by rule 1. Otherwise, it would have had primary stress on the last syllable, by rule 4.

Rule 2: Syllable with /x/

• ghachiv has primary stress on the first syllable, by rule 2. Otherwise, it would have had primary stress on the last syllable, by rule 4.

Rule 3: Syllable with /e/ written ae

• aedirev has primary stress on the first syllable, by rule 3. Otherwise, it would have had primary stress on the last syllable, by rule 4.

Rule 4: Last syllable the main verb

Most Asha'ille verbs' stress falls under this rule.

• afariv has primary stress on the last syllable, by rule 4. Otherwise, it would have had primary stress on the penultimate syllable, by rule 8.

Rule 5: Syllable is /Vl/ written Vlle

• arinelle has primary stress on the last syllable, by rule 5. Otherwise, it would have had primary stress on the penultimate syllable, by rule 8.

Rule 6: Stuttered Consonant Words

• ikken has primary stress on the last syllable, by rule 6. Otherwise, it would have had primary stress on the first syllable (or the very short schwa "stuttered" syllable, if you count that), by rule 8.

Rule 7: Syllable with /ð/

• nimordh has primary stress on the last syllable, by rule 7. Otherwise, it would have stress on the first syllable, by rule 8.

Rule 8: Penultimate Syllable

Most Asha'ille non-verb words' stress falls under this rule.

• aimenad has primary stress on the penultimate syllable, by rule 8.