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accent
/ˈak.sənt/
In a linguistic context, an accent is the "audible fingerprint" of a person's origin. It captures the intersection of geography, social class, and native language. While often used neutrally, it can carry heavy social connotations, ranging from perceived prestige (e.g., Received Pronunciation) to stereotypes. When applied to music or speech patterns, the word shifts toward the concept of "weight" or "impact." It is about where the energy of a sound is concentrated to create rhythm or clarity. As a verb in aesthetics or design, it describes the act of highlighting. Unlike "highlighting," which can be broad, "accenting" usually implies using a small amount of something (like a color or a piece of jewelry) to draw attention to a specific feature without overwhelming it.
Whether referring to a person's regional way of speaking ('a thick Scottish accent') or the rhythmic stress on a syllable ('the accent is on the first syllable'), it is treated as a discrete, countable unit.
意味
A distinctive mode of pronunciation of a language, especially one associated with a particular nation, area, or social class.
"She spoke with a slight French accent."
An emphasis or stress placed on a particular syllable in a word or a particular note in music.
"In the word 'banana', the accent falls on the second syllable."
To emphasize a particular feature of something to make it more prominent or attractive.
"The blue tie helps to accent his eyes."
To pronounce a word with a particular emphasis or stress.
"It is important to accent the correct syllable when speaking Spanish."