NOUN-VERB STRESS ALTERNATION: AN EXAMPLE OF THE LEXICAL DIFFUSION OF SOUND CHANCE IN ENGLISH

1530 noun; 1542 verb). D n ± _ v ^ B 1700, D 1735, J 1755 ... W 1791. accent (1530 verb; 1581 noun). P n L _ V ± _ L 1570, M 1617, B 1735. D n -<-v-·^B 1634, P 1665, B 1700, D 1735, J 1755 ... W 1791. (if the evidence is accurate, this is an early and unusual case of a diatone being established on a previous paroxytone pair). addict (1560 verb; 1909 noun). address (ME verb; 1600 noun). Ο n--^v-^-B 1700, Β 1736, J 1755 ... W 1791. affix (1533 verb; 1612 noun). Ο n-^-v-^J 1755, F 1763, U 1763, B 1774. D n^-v -^A 1775, S 1780, N 1784, W 1791. (This is very nearly a perfect sequence: [1] deverbal noun; [2] oxytonic pair up to 1775; [3] diatone after 1775). affect (ME noun; 1483 verb). Ο n-J-y-2L 1570, S 1780, W 1791. (Affect is still oxytonic in British English). alloy (1600 noun; 1661 verb).