suffixklank

Suffixklank is a term used in phonology to describe the acoustic and articulatory realization of a suffix within a word, and the way this suffix contributes to the overall sound pattern of the word. It encompasses both the segmental makeup of the suffix itself and the phonological changes that occur at the boundary between stem and suffix, such as assimilation, epenthesis, or changes in voicing of the preceding consonants. The concept is especially relevant in languages with rich inflectional morphology, where different suffixes can trigger predictable phonological adjustments to the stem or to the suffix.

Etymology and usage: The word is Dutch in origin, combining suffix (the morpheme attached to a word stem) and klank (sound). In descriptive phonology, suffixklank helps explain why certain suffixes maintain a stable phonetic signature across contexts or why the same suffix can exhibit different surface realizations depending on the phonological environment. It is a flexible concept used in cross-linguistic analysis to link morphology with phonology.

Phonological phenomena: Typical processes associated with suffixklank include assimilation across morpheme boundaries (regressive or progressive), insertion of a vowel (epenthesis) to ease pronunciation, and adjustments in voicing or place of articulation of adjacent segments. The study of suffixklank therefore sits at the intersection of morphology and phonology, often requiring comparison across languages to distinguish language-specific rules from general phonotactic tendencies. See also morphophonology, suffixation, epenthesis, and assimilation.