The addition of -ity to an adjective results in a shift of stress to the antepenultimate syllable; that is, words in -ity are stressed on the last syllable before the -ity, even in cases where this syllable is part of another suffix (as in words in -ability and -icity).
adjective, dumber, dumbest. 1. lacking intelligence or good judgment; stupid; dull-witted. 2. lacking the power of speech (offensive when applied to humans): a dumb animal.
As a person with a speech impediment, I am irritated by this. --Der Sporkmeister 18:08, 8 August 2005 (UTC) Umm, no idiot is not more appropriate. Dumb was originally the term for people who could not speak and only later took on any relation to a general insult (similar to the term Stupid I believe).