Accentuation of Compound Nouns

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128. The accent generally falls on the last syllable of the prefixed stem, or if that is impossible, then as far back as possible.

χρυσό-θρονος
ἀελλό-πος
ἐπ-ήρατο-ς (ἐρατό-ς)
αἰν-αρέτη-ς (ἀρετή), etc.

The chief exceptions are the fοllοwing.

  1. When the second stem ends in -ο and has the force of an active participle, it is oxytone, or, if the penult is short, paroxytone.

    ὑ-φορβό-ς
    δημιο-εργό-ς
    τοξο-φόρο-ς

    Except compounds with prepositions as

    ἐπί-κλοπο-ς
    πρό-μαχο-ς
    ὑπό-τροπο-ς

    also those in -οχο-ς, and one or two more, πτολί-πορθο-ς, ἀγχί-μολο-ν, ἱππό-δαμος.

  2. Adjectives in -της (stems in -εσ), nouns in -ευ-ς, nouns of the agent in -τηρ and -τη-ς, and abstract nouns in -η and -ιη retain their accent.
     

    • οἰνο-βαρής
       
    • ἡνι-οχεύ-ς
       
    • μηλο-βυτῆρ-ας
       
    • ἱππο-κορυστή-ς
       
    • ἐπ-ιωγή
       
    • ἁρμα-τροχιή
       
    • ἀλαοσκοπιή

    But a few adjectives in -της are barytone, as

    ὑψι-πέτης
    ποδ-ώκης
    χαλκ-ήρης
    τανυ-ήκης

    also the feminine forms ἠρι-γένεια, ληϊ-βότειρα, δυσ-αριστο-τόκεια, μισγ-άγκεια.

  3. When the second stem is a long monosyllable, it is accented.

    βου-πλήξ
    ἀπο-ρρώξ
    παρα-βλῶπ-ες
    παρα-πλῆγ-ας
    ἀ-βλής, etc. (§ 125.2).

    Hence the feminine forms βο-ῶπ-ι-ς, γλαυκ-ῶπ-ι-ς, etc., (as if from βο-ώψ, γλαυκ-ώψ, etc.).

Suggested Citation

D.B. Monro, A Grammar of the Homeric Dialect. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-947822-04-7. https://dcc.dickinson.edu/grammar/monro/accentuation-compound-nouns