Accentual is a term that is commonly used in linguistics and poetry. It refers to the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a word or line of poetry. This article will explore the definition and meaning of accentual, its origin, associations, synonyms, antonyms, and provide example sentences.
Definitions
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, accentual means “of, relating to, or characterized by accent.” It can also refer to a system of verse in which the number of stressed syllables in a line is fixed, but the number of unstressed syllables is not.
Origin
The word accentual comes from the Latin word accentus, which means “a tone or stress.” It entered the English language in the early 17th century.
Meaning in different dictionaries
In the Oxford English Dictionary, accentual is defined as “relating to or denoting a system of verse in which the number of stressed syllables in a line is fixed, but the number of unstressed syllables is not.” The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as “relating to the way words are pronounced with stress on particular syllables.”
Associations
Accentual is closely associated with poetry and prosody, the study of poetic meter and rhythm. It is also important in language learning and pronunciation.
Synonyms
Some synonyms of accentual include stressed, emphatic, accented, and emphasized.
Antonyms
Some antonyms of accentual include unstressed, unemphatic, unaccented, and unemphasized.
The same root words
The word accentual shares its root with other words related to stress, such as accent, accentuate, and accentuation.
Example Sentences
- The accentual pattern of this line of poetry is iambic pentameter.
- In English, the accentual stress falls on the first syllable of the word “banana.”
- The teacher emphasized the importance of accentual stress in learning a new language.
- The poet used accentual verse to create a specific rhythm and mood in the poem.
- The singer accentuated the high notes in the song to create an accentual effect.