Accentless

/ˈækˌsɛntləs/ adjective

Definition

Without an accent; not marked with stress or special emphasis in pronunciation.

Etymology

From accent + -less (forming adjectives meaning 'without'). Accent comes from Latin accentus (tone of voice), from ad- (to) + cantus (song).

Kelly Says

Linguists debate whether truly accentless speech exists—even neutral speakers have subtle patterns of stress that reveal where they're from or what they're emphasizing, so 'accentless' is more of an ideal than a reality!

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