Definition of Pitch accent (intonation)
Pitch accent is a term used in autosegmental-metrical theory for local intonational features that are associated with particular syllables. Within this framework, pitch accents are distinguished from both the abstract metrical stress and the acoustic stress of a syllable. Different languages specify different relationships between pitch accent and stress placement.
Related terms
Pitch-accent language
A pitch-accent language is a type of language that, when spoken, has certain syllables…
Boundary tone
The term boundary tone refers to a rise or fall in pitch that occurs in speech at the…
Ancient Greek accent
The Ancient Greek accent was a melodic or pitch accent.
Scale (music)
In music theory, a scale is "any consecutive series of notes that form a progression…
Downstep
Downstep is a phenomenon in tone languages in which if two syllables have the same tone…
Spiral array model
In music theory, the spiral array model is an extended type of pitch space. A…
Interval (music)
In music theory, an interval is a difference in pitch between two sounds. An interval…
Falset (music)
Falset is the latitude for a brasswind player's pitch-control of a harmonic by adjusting…
Fokker periodicity block
Fokker periodicity blocks are a concept in tuning theory used to mathematically relate…
Frequently asked questions
What is Pitch accent (intonation)?
Pitch accent is a term used in autosegmental-metrical theory for local intonational features that are associated with particular syllables.