Chapter 83

ON ACCENT.

§ 139. In the word _tyrant_ there is an emphasis, or stress, upon the first syllable. In the word _presume_ there is an emphasis, or stress, on the second syllable. This emphasis, or stress, is called _accent_. The circumstance of a syllable bearing an accent is sometimes expressed by a mark ('); in which case the word is said to be accentuated, i.e., to have the accent signified in writing.

Words accented on the last syllable--_Brigáde_, _preténce_, _harpoón_, _reliéve_, _detér_, _assúme_, _besóught_, _beréft_, _befóre_, _abroád_, _abóde_, _abstrúse_, _intermíx_, _superádd_, _cavaliér_.

Words accented on the last syllable but one--_An'chor_, _ar'gue_, _hásten_, _fáther_, _fóxes_, _smíting_, _húsband_, _márket_, _vápour_, _bárefoot_, _archángel_, _bespátter_, _disáble_, _terrífic_.

Words accented on the last syllable but two--_Reg'ular_, _an'tidote_, _for'tify_, _suscéptible_, _incontrovértible_.

Words accented on the last syllable but three (rare)--_Réceptacle_, _régulating_, _tálkativeness_, _ábsolutely_, _lúminary_, _inévitable_, &c.

§ 140. A great number of words are distinguished by the difference of accent alone.

An _áttribute_. To _attríbute_. The month _Aúgust_. An _augúst_ person. A _com'pact_. _Compáct_ (close). To _con'jure_ (magically). _Conjúre_ (enjoin). _Des'ert_, wilderness. _Desért_, merit. _Inválid_, not valid. _Invalíd_, a sickly person. _Mínute_, 60 seconds. _Minúte_, small. _Súpine_, part of speech. _Supíne_, careless, &c.

§ 141. In _týrant_ and _presúme_, we deal with single words; and in each _word_ we determine which _syllable_ is accented. Contrasted with the sort of accent that follows, this may be called a _verbal_ accent.

In the line,

Better for _us_, perhaps, it might appear, (Pope's "Essay on Man," I. 169.)

the pronoun _us_ is strongly brought forward. An especial stress or emphasis is laid upon it, denoting that _there are other beings to whom it might not appear_, &c. This is collected from the context. Here there is a _logical_ accent. "When one word in a sentence is distinguished by a stress, as more important than the rest, we may say that it is _emphatical_, or that an _emphasis_ is laid upon it. When one syllable in a word is distinguished by a stress, and more audible than the rest, we say that it is accented, or that an accent is put upon it. Accent, therefore, is to syllables what emphasis is to sentences; it distinguishes one from the crowd, and brings it forward to observation."--Nares' "Orthoepy," part ii. chap. 1.

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