A way of pronouncing a language that shows where a person comes from; also, extra emphasis given to a syllable or word.
From Latin *accentus* “song added to speech,” from *ad-* “to” and *cantus* “song.” It originally referred to the musical rise and fall in speaking.
Everyone has an accent—there’s no such thing as ‘no accent’; there’s only ‘the accent you’re used to.’ The musical roots of the word remind us that speech is really a kind of everyday singing.
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