Accentuation of English Words




Nothing in this section
applies to words of Nordic origin.



1. In the Bloo Bouk code, English words can be marked by four diacritics: the rising accent (á), the falling accent (à), the mixed accent (â), the fixed accent (ä).

The bulk of the accentuation standards on this page was codified by the great conclave of 1687.

2. Diacritics may indicate syllable stress or vowel length.


3. The rising accent indicates long, wise and clear vowels in specific stressed contexts: págan, légal, lócal | paranóia, cóuntenancing | hármony, pértinent, impórtant

Before reading about accentuation, it is necessary to read about English vowels.

4. The falling accent indicates short vowels in specific contexts: ànalysing, mèditativ, discontènt

5. The falling accent identifies ma and doug in specific contexts: clàss | stùdy

6. The mixed accent identifies ma in specific contexts: contrâst, contrâsting

7. The mixed accent identifies hugh/luke in specific contexts: undû, acrû

8. The fixed accent indicates fixed clear vowels in specific contexts: ärea, sërios

9. The fixed accent identifies ma and hugh/luke in specific contexts: fótogräf | sütabel

10. The fixed accent indicates the weaker vowel of a hiatus: fluënt, ambiguïty, árguäbly

11. Use in Greek words: the rising (á), falling (à) and mixed (â/ã) accents have been used in Greek since Byzantine times. Native Greek speakers cannot guess stress without accentuation. This problem is aggravated in English, as the original stress often changes. Greek words in English need accentuation for the same reason they do it in Greek itself.

12. Use in Latin words: accents have been used in Romance languages since the Renaissance. They are an essential feature of French, which gave English a substantial lexical legacy. In specific circumstances, Latin-Romance words require accentuation and are accentuated in most Romance languages. Accentuation is necessary in English too.

Latin refers both to words borrowed directly from Latin and to words brought into English through Romance languages, especially Anglo-Norman and French.

13. Use in Germanic words: Nordic languages only make discreet use of accentuation (except Icelandic). Words of Germanic or Nordic origin do not require accentuation in English. Stress ambiguities are few and can be indicated without diacritics.



14. There are three types of accentuation in Greek and Latin words:

  • Prefix accentuation clarifies vowel length in certain prefixes.
  • Stress accentuation indicates the stressed syllable.
  • Differential accentuation clarifies ambiguous vowel quality.

15. The following tables show standard accent assignments for Greek and Latin words.


Standard Assignments



Stressed


ShortLongWiseClear
à intàct á páganâ contrâst ár impárt
è atèst é légaláu apláud är ärea
ì enlìst í líbelóy enjóyd ér refér
ò acròss ó lócalóu acóuntër hëro
ù discùss ú músikú imprúv ór impórt
ur rural


Unstressed


ShortLongWiseClear
a impact æ æórtaä conträst ar rampart
e insect ee cafeenau audicion ar unitary
i dentist y ydìaoy envoy er desert
o nylon œ lœcátou discount
u conduct u mutátu rubèla or cóhort
ur penury


Monosyllables


ShortLongWiseClear
a fact æ dæmà pàss ar part
e fest ee beestau laud air prair
i list y lynoy joy er serv
o cost œ nœtou mounteer sfeer
u bust ue duekue ruel or sport
ur pur


Special Assignments



Final Long Vowels (French)


MonosyllablesUnstressedStressed
ay payay valay, purayáy aráy, blasáy
y bryy valy, kofyé agré, employé
ey creyey unifey, modifeyéy deféy, supléy
o boo auto, machoeau plateau, chateau
u vuu valu, vertuû eschû, undû


Prefix Accentuation



16. Prefixes may by monophonic or polyphonic:

  • Monophonic prefixes are always pronounced the same way, e.g. con-, en-, ob-.
  • Polyphonic prefixes are pronounced in different ways, e.g. re-: repórt, rèpresènt, récreæt.

17. Polyphonic prefixes require length accentuation:

  • Short vowel cases have a falling accent: prè-, dè-, prò- etc.: prèsident, dèstituet, pròfit.
  • Long vowel cases have a rising accent: pré-, dé-, pró- etc.: prétext, décompós, prógram.
  • Reduced cases have no accent: pre-, de-, pro- etc.: pretènd, decév, prodús.

Prefix accents, therefore, do not indicate stress but clarify length. Their use on stressed syllables will be coincidental.


e-

with tess

effortevidentlyeducateerudite

with schwa

efficienteventelaborateevaporate

with pete

elongateevocationelongatedevolution

with tess

èfortèvidentlyèducætèrudyt

with schwa

eficientevèntelaboratevaporæt

with pete

élongætévocácionélongætedévolúcion


de-

with tess

desperatedesolatedenigratedefinitely

with schwa

denialdepartmentdemotiondegrading

with pete

deconstructdecolonisedemistifydecomposed

with tess

speratsolatnigrætfinitly

with schwa

deníaldepartmentdemóciondegráding

with pete

constrùctcòlonyzmìstifeycompózd


per-

with schwa

perfectionpervasiveperfectperdition

with bert

perfectpertinentimperfectimpermanent

with schwa

perfectionpervásivperfèctperdicion

with bert

pérfectpértinentimpérfectimpérmanent


pre-

with tess

precedencepresidentpremonitionprelate

with schwa

precisionpreliminarypremonitoryprecaution

with pete

previouspredestinationpreconditionprefabricated

with tess

prècedensprèsidentprèmonìcionprèlat

with schwa

precisionprelìminarypremònitoryprecaucion

with pete

préviosprédestinácionprécondìcionpréfàbricæted


pro-

with bob

protestantprosecutepropagandaprosecution

with schwa

provisionproliferationprodigiouslyprogress

with rose

progressprorogationprocreateprohibition

with bob

pròtestantpròssecuetpròpagàndapròssecúcion

with schwa

provisionproliferácionprodiggioslyprogrèss

with rose

prógressprórogácionprócreætpróhibìcion


re-

with tess

residentreferencerepetitiousrelish

with schwa

regretremissionrepetitiverefectory

with pete

repossessreincorporateremitredecorated

with tess

sidentferenspetìcioslish

with schwa

regrètremissionrepetitivrefectory

with pete

posèssincórporætmitdècoræted


se-

with tess

separatesegregatesedulousinseparable

with schwa

seclusionseditionselectsecede

with pete

secretsecrecysecretlysecretive

with tess

paratgregætdulosinparabel

with schwa

seclusionsedicionselèctsecéd

with pete

cretcressycretlycretiv



An early decorative banner used by the Knighthood of the Bloo Bouk, among several others. Books and keys have been a feature of banners since the foundation of the knighthood by Edward the Confessor in 1054.

Stress Accentuation



18. Stress accentuation is influenced by (i) accentuation system, (ii) number of syllables, (iii) position of stress, (iv) quality of suffixes.


19. There are two systems of stress accentuation:

Greek system: for words of Greek origin
Latin system: for Latin-Romance words

Words of non-Nordic, non-Latin and non-Greek origin follow the Greek system.

20. For accentuation purposes, words are divided according to the number of syllables:

one: monosyllable; two: disyllable;
three: trisyllable; four or more: polysyllable.

21. The position of stress in a non-monosyllable is:

oxytone: stress on the last syllable: content, catarrh;
paroxytone: on the penultimate: content, cater, consistent;
proparoxytone: on the antepenultimate: confident, intelligent, contemplative;
anteproparoxytone: on the fourth last syllable: meditative, difficulty, differently;
ante-anteproparoxytone: on the fifth last syllable: emancipatory.

Note the abbreviations:
ox = oxytone
pox = paroxytone
p.pox = proparoxytone
ap.pox = anteproparoxytone
ap.ap.pox = ante-anteproparoxytone

No monosyllable is accentuated (but cf. alternative à).

When stress undergoes regional variation, a word is accentuated accordingly: emàncipatory, emancipátory.

22. Suffixes may influence stress position and are divided into two groups:

reliable: trustworthy stress indicators, e.g. -tion makes a word pox, -ity makes it p.pox.
unreliable: untrustworthy as stress indicators, e.g. -ant, -ent, -ary, -ory.



23. Different inflections of the same word may follow different stress rules, e.g.:

fassinæt, fassinæts, fàssinæted, fàssinæting
prócreæt, prócreæts, prócreæted, prócreæting

A. Greek Stress

Stress Accentuation of Greek and foreign words (non-Greek, non-Latin, non-Nordic)

24. Apart from monosyllables and paroxytone disyllables, every Greek word has an accent on the stressed syllable.



monosyllables | paroxytone disyllables


gasmusicpolischorus
typeplanetAthenslogic
schoolbishopSpartabutter
lyreoliveanthembase
gasmusikpoliskorus
typplanetAthensloggik
skuelbishopSpartater
líerolivanthembæs

not accentuated
except for long vowels: bássik, káos, éthos
musik, bùter: cf. differential ù, redundant ú



all other cases

catarrhphotographanalyseanalysing
guitarphotographeranalysisheterosexual
catholicphotographicanalysesmetamorphosis
cathedralmusicallyanalyticalhydroxycitronellal
katártogräfànalyzànalysing
guitárfograferanàlissishèterosxual
tholikfotogràfikanàlissesmetamórfossis
kathédralsicalyanatikalhydròxissitronèlal

accentuated
hèterossèxual, hydròxissitronèlal: cf. secondary stress.



B. Latin Stress

Stress Accentuation of Latin and Romance (mostly French) words

25. The main difference to Greek accentuation is that Latin proparoxytones are not accentuated:

  • Greek words: tràggedy, kategòrikal, sìnfony
  • Latin words: confident, punishment, university

(ante-)anteproparoxytones


meditativevocabularylegitimacyinaccurately
moderatelymonasteryillegitimatelyinventory
immediatelycommunicativeinadequacydelicacy
emancipatoryquantitativeadequatelyultimately
ditativvobularyleggìtimassyinàcuratly
deratlynasteryileggìtimatlyìnventory
idiatlyconicativinàdequassylicassy
emàncipatoryquàntitativàdequatlyùltimatly

accentuated



proparoxytones


definitivearrogancedelicatedignify
moderateaggravatewarrantedinsolent
abilitymeditate[it] finishesapplicant
confidentcommunicatesentencingincontinence
definitivarrogansdelicatdignifey
moderatagravætworantedinsolent
abilitymeditætfinishesaplicant
confidentcomunicætsentencingincontinens

not accentuated
except for polyphonic prefixes: pérmanent, indècoros, prócreæt
except for long vowels: imédiat, fínaly, lócaly



paroxytones

Disyllables, or with reliable suffix

contentcertaintensionexpression
imagepresentvisiondereliction
vulgardesertconditioninaction
conflictextractattentionreligion

Three or more syllables with unreliable suffix or no suffix

consistentattackingindecentconstructive
intermittentannoyingcontributeresponsive
attendanceapplauded[he] confessesconclusive
regrettingrepeatedimported[she] relaxes

Disyllables, or with reliable suffix

contentcertantensionexpression
imaggpresentvisiondereliccion
vulgardesertcondicioninaccion
conflictextractatencionreliggion

not accentuated
except for polyphonic prefixes: pérfect, prógress, pròduct
except for long and clear vowels: págan, légal, líbel, lócal, sensácion | väry, hëro


Three or more syllables with unreliable suffix or no suffix

consìstentatàkingindécentconstrùctiv
intermìtentanóyingcontrìbuetrespònsiv
atèndansapláudedconfèssesconclúsiv
regrètingrepétedimpórtedrelàxes

accentuated



oxytones

relaximportdiscussdisconnect
attendexaltconclictreconstruct
incorrectinsistperfectcondescend
confessacrosspresentdiscontent
relàximpórtdiscùssdisconèct
atèndezzáultconflìctréconstrùct
incorèctinsìstperfèctcondessènd
confèssacròsspresèntdiscontènt

accentuated:
except final -air and -eer: compair, repair, career, engineer




C. Secondary Stress

Accentuation of Secondary Stress in Greek-Latin words

26. Secondary stress is indicated when it occurs three or more syllables before the first stress.


(a) two syllables before first stress
(b) after first stress


fassinatingconvolutedcounterpartpluripotent
prosecutinginventoryparanoidmetamorphosis
analysingvocabularytraumatisingauthenticity
fàssinætingcònvolutedcounterpartpluripótent
pròsecutingìnventorypàranoidmetamórfossis
ànalysingvocàbularytràumatysingauthentìssity

not accentuated



three or more syllables before first stress


heteromorphicpurificationhypoallergenicparasympathetic
globalisationsolidificationhypocondriasisparaphernalia
gentrificationhypercatabolismpolyacrylamidehaemodialysis
teromórfikpúrificácionpoalerggènikrassimpathètik
glóbalysácionsolìdificácionpokondríassisrafernália
gèntrificácionperkatàbolizemliakrìlamydmodyàlissis

accentuated



27. When prefix accentuation does not coincide with stress, the first stress must be indicated even if unnecessary without the prefix:

  • produccion: reliable suffix, no accent.
  • *réproduccion: would imply the first syllable is the first stress.
  • réprodùccion: clarifies the first stress.

28. If a word has more than one accent, only the last can indicate first stress. The other accents indicate secondary stress or prefix quality. Secondary stress that comes after the first stress has no accent:

  • hèteronórmativ: antecendent secondary stress with accent.
  • rádiæting: succedent secondary stress without accent.



King Edward the Confessor knights the first knights of the Bloo Bouk at the founding ceremony of the knighthood, Winchester 1054. Beyond their military duties, the knights oversaw the protection of the Bloo Bouk at Sherborne cathedral.


Differential Accentuation



29. Two vowels require differential accentuation:

  • a when ma must be distinguished from pat.
  • u when doug must be distinguished from hugh/luke.

30. In general, à is assigned to pat and â to ma: impàct, enchânt. When a occurs in a monosyllable, it is generally pat: cat, rap, shal. When a is ma, it must be indicated. There are two options:

  • â as the standard for ma : pâss, chânt.
  • à as a simplified version: pàss, chànt.

Although à is the standard for pat, there would be no reason to accentuate pat in a monosyllable. Thus, à in a monosyllable can only mean a simplified form of â, which is called alternative à.

Alternative à can also be used in disyllable paroxytones, where pat would not need to be accentuated. Also here, à can only refer to ma : màster, pàssing, dàncing [= mâster, pâssing, dâncing].

ma as the last letter is not accentuated: bra, ma, bruhaha [= *brà/brâ, *mà/mâ, *bruhahà/bruhahâ].


alternative à


passdramamasterpassing
chantdanseplantedcalmly
balmchantingalmondthe Raj
pàssdràmamàsterpàssing
chàntdànsplàntedcàmly
bàmchàntingàmondthe Ràj

ma is rendered as â in all other cases: contrâst, sonâta, oregâno, dissenchânt, mâsterly.


31. The letter u is a special case. In theory, ù indicates doug and ú indicates hugh/luke. In practice, doug and hugh/luke are indicated by the number of following consonants:

  • u + two consonants = doug:
    assumpcion, reduction, corupcion [= assùmpcion, redùccion, corùpcion].
  • u + consonant and vowel = hugh/luke:
    revolucion, butiful, computer [= revolúcion, bútiful, compúter].

The accentuated forms in the above examples are called redundant ù and redundant ú. None is used.

32. When u + consonant and vowel = doug, ù is used as a differential ù: bùter, cùlor, gùvern. Here, buter, culor, guvern without an accent would be misunderstood as búter, cúlor, gúvern.


differential ù


studycovercolourcovenant
governgovernmentcouragediscover
stùdycùvercùlorcùvenant
gùverngùvermentcùraggdiscùver

Indicates that [u] is not hugh/luke but doug.



33. In non-Nordic words, hugh and luke are not distinguished graphically. As a general rule, they occur as follows:

  • luke after /r ʃ ʒ l/: rumor, parashuet, jucy, ilusion.
  • hugh in all other cases: cubik, musik, assuming, unity.

34. When luke occurs in other cases, it may be indicated with ü, which is called a facultative ü: müving, sütabel or muving, sutabel.

facultative ü


accoutrementmovementsuitablemoved
acütrementmüvmentsütabelmüevd

Indicates that [u] is not hugh but luke.



35. In monosyllables hugh/luke is assigned the following:

  • open monosyllables have u: cu, du, flu, glu, su [sü], vu.
  • closed monosyllables have ue: cuet, duek, fleut, glued, suet, vued.

36. In non-monosyllables, hugh/luke in the last syllable is assigned the following:

  • open stressed has û: undû, revû, acrû, tabû [tabü], imbû.
  • closed stressed has ú: sedús, revúd, acrús, imbúd.

The first group can also have ú: undú, revú, acrú, imbú. The use of û upholds an aesthetic practice (the Renaissance alexandrine accentuation) to avoid a rising accent in the last letter, e.g. in Italian così instead of cosí. French only breaks this rule for final -é, while final -ú is avoided in all Romance languages.

  • open unstressed has u: menu, valu, vertu, issu, rètinu.
  • closed unstressed has ue: menues, values, issued, rèvenues.

For the open unstressed group, cf. Chaucer valu, vertu, issu. In the closed unstressed group, u could be confused with unstressed doug in the last syllable. Hence pròduct with doug and pròdues with hugh/luke.




Monks at Sherborne Abbey update the Bloo Bouk with revised spelling keys to reflect the grammar of a new emerging language (now known as Middle English), late 13th century.



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