cover of episode Oxytone

Oxytone

2023/12/16
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Word of the Day

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Shownotes Transcript

Oxytone is an adjective that means having an accent on the last syllable. It’s also a noun that refers to a word that has an accent on the last syllable. 

The Greek words oxus (ocks oose) and tonos (TOE nose) mean ‘sharp’ and ‘tone.’ Our word of the day has been with us since the mid 18th century. Here’s an example:

Learning a new language can get easier once you learn that words in other languages are more likely to be oxytones. After a while stressing the last syllable of a word just becomes second nature.