Acute accent. Acute Accent Characteristics

Oacute accentit is very important for words, as it indicates where the stressed syllable is, that is, the strongest syllable. Therefore, it should not be omitted when writing or when speaking, as it can impair communication.

The accents were created to help the speaker in writing and, mainly, in relation to the pronunciation of words. Many of them have the same ending, don't they? Sabe, sabiá, alligator, whooping cough, cajá, gun, coconut, poop and many others are examples of words that end in the same way. How do you know when they will be accentuated? In this case, you need to consider two factors:

1. The stress of the words, that is, the stressed syllable of each one;
2. The termination of words.

Based on the stress, the words are classified as: oxytone (the last syllable is the stressed), paroxytone (the penultimate is the stressed) and proparoxytone (the penultimate is the stressed). According to each ending, there will be an accentuation rule.

Accents can only be used on top of vowels, never on consonants. In Portuguese, there are two accents: the circumflex and the acute. Next, we'll highlight

the use of the acute accent.

Acute accent indicates, in addition to stress, the way the vowel should be pronounced, in the case of vowels a, and, with acute accent, the pronunciation should be open. See the examples: coffee, apricot, carcará.

The presence of the acute accent easily indicates the stressed syllable of each word, however, not all the words that will receive graphic accent, for this, it is necessary to consider some rules, which are called accentuation rules.

To make it easier to study, the rules were divided into two groups:

1. General rules: accentuation of stressed monosyllables, oxytones, paroxytones and proparoxytones;
2.  Complementary rules: accentuation of open diphthongs, hiatus and some verbs. With the spelling reform, the acute accent is no longer used in some cases, it is worth checking.

Follow below a broader explanation of the general and complementary rules that should be used when accentuating words:

• General rules:

1. Proparoxytones: all are accentuated. Examples: lamp, chalice.
2. Oxytones: those ending in: -a (s), -e (s), -o (s), -em, ens are accentuated. Examples: cajá, coffee, jacket, too, congratulations.
3. Paroxytones: receive accent when ending in: -i (s), u (s), um, ones, l, r, x, n. In addition to these endings, they are also accentuated when they end in an oral diphthong followed or not by s (vowel and semivowel in same syllable, without the presence of tilde or consonants that may indicate nasalization, m and n) or ending in: -ã, -ãs, -ão, -to the. Examples: taxi, virus, album, chest, watch, pencil, gun, organs, orphan.
4. Stressed monosyllables: when ending in -a, -e, -o. Examples: there, faith, pity.

• Complementary Rules:

1. The open diphthongs in the paroxytones are not accented. E.g.: hive, assembly. However, in oxytones, the acute accent exists. Ex.: hero, trophy.
2. the vowels i and u, when alone in the syllable or followed by s, they receive an acute accent, but if they come after a diphthong, they don't. Ex. ugliness, Laís, exit.
3. The verbs arguir and redarguir do not receive an acute accent, but in pronunciation it is as if they were accented. Ex.: arguo (in pronunciation: arguo).

Pay attention to the ending of words to accentuate them and when there is need for an accent, if the vowel sound is open, have no doubts: use the acute accent.

By Mayra Pavan
Graduated in Letters