accent
AK-sent
/ˈæksɛnt/
A distinctive mode of pronunciation of a language, especially one associated with a particular nation, locality, or social class.
Everyone has an accent, even if they think they speak 'normally.' It refers only to the sound, not the words used.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'accentus,' which comes from 'ad-' (to) and 'cantus' (song). It literally means 'a song added to speech,' referring to the musical quality of different pronunciations.
Word relationships
- inflection: Inflection is the rise and fall of the voice, while accent is the overall pattern of pronunciation.
Commonly confused with
- dialect: Accent is pronunciation; dialect is pronunciation + vocabulary + grammar.
Word family
- accentuated (verb): To make more noticeable.
Collocations
- strong accent
- foreign accent
- thick accent
Example sentences
- "Everyone has an accent, but some people think they don't because they only hear those that are different from their own." A common linguistic observation.
- "She had a slight French accent that made her English sound very melodic." Describing a specific sound.
Memory hook
An accent is like a 'Song' (cantus) that you 'Add' (ad) to your words. The song of your speech.
When not to use
Do not use 'accent' when you mean the person uses different words (that is a dialect).
Fun facts
- Studies show that even cows have regional 'moo' accents depending on which herd they belong to.
Related words
Explore more words
enunciate, elocution, articulation, articulate, voice, diction
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