When stress is not phonologically predictable (i.e., when it is phonemic, fulfilling grammatical or lexical functions) and limited to certain syllables (i.e. does not always fall on the same syllable), the potentially stressable syllables form a sequence without gaps and are almost always reckoned from the ultima backwards, with the maximum for end reckoning apparently being four, and with penultimate syllables being preferred.
Standardized
When stress is not phonologically predictable (i.e., when it is phonemic, fulfilling grammatical or lexical functions) and limited to certain syllables (i.e. does not always fall on the same syllable), the potentially stressable syllables form a sequence without gaps and are almost always reckoned from the ultima backwards, with the maximum for end reckoning apparently being four, and with penultimate syllables being preferred.
Possible counterexample: Irish (Celtic, Indo-European) (initial reckoning: first three syllables may be stressed, with initial stress predominating)- but stress is very possibly phonologically predictable (Greenberg & Kaschube 1976).
1. Accent = phonetic features occurring just once or at most once in the phonological word, with cumulative or demarcative function (Greenberg & Kaschube 1976).2. For example Huastec (Mayan): stress on the last syllable with a long vowel, but if there is no syllable with a long vowel then stress falls on the initial syllable.
1. Accent = phonetic features occurring just once or at most once in the phonological word, with cumulative or demarcative function (Greenberg & Kaschube 1976).2. For example Huastec (Mayan): stress on the last syllable with a long vowel, but if there is no syllable with a long vowel then stress falls on the initial syllable.