[Lingtyp] languages without word level stress

[Sebastian Nordhoff]

On 10/17/19 3:44 PM, TALLMAN Adam wrote:
> Hey all,
> 
> This is just a query for sources.
> 
> I'm looking for languages that have been explicitly described as having 
> no word-level stress. I was under the impression that this was fairly 
> common, but apparently the existence of such languages (e.g. French) is 
> controversial [?].
> 
> To be clear, I mean stress in Hyman's sense of a single culminative and 
> obligatory marking of prominence.
> 
> (After that, I'm wondering whether there have been cases of languages 
> that are described as containing neither word-level nor phrase-level 
> stress in the same sense).

Hi Adam,
I have argued that Sri Lanka Malay does not have word level stress.

https://www.lotpublications.nl/Documents/226_fulltext.pdf , §4.5.4 page 131

That passage also contains reference to a couple of other languages 
(Malay varieties and Tamil) where the same has been claimed.

Interestingly, Sri Lanka Malay seems to have metrical feet, but no 
stress, i.e. the feet have no heads.

Best wishes
Sebastian









> 
> best,
> 
> Adam
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Adam James Ross Tallman (PhD, UT Austin)
> ELDP-SOAS -- Postdoctorante
> CNRS -- Dynamique Du Langage (UMR 5596)
> Bureau 207, 14 av. Berthelot, Lyon (07)
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