| Name | Accent |
|---|---|
| Acute | ά |
| Circumflex | ᾶ |
| Grave | ὰ |
Greek words have as many syllables as they have vowels/dipthongs:
| Word | Syllables | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|
| λόγος | 2 | λό-γος |
| ἄνθρωπος | 3 | ἄν-θρω-πος |
| δοῦλος | 2 | δοῦ-λος |
| ἀλήθεια | 4 | ἀ-λή-θει-α |
A syllable is long, if it has a long vowel or dipthong
| Vowel | Length | Example | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| α | short/long | father(long)/bat(short) | |
| ε | short | μέν | |
| η | long | ἡμέρα | |
| ι | short/long | machine(long)/pit(short) | |
| ο | short | ||
| ω | long | ||
| ου | long | ||
| -οι | long | λόγοι | |
| οι- | short | λόγοις | |
| -αι | short | ἡμέραι | |
| αι- | long | ἡμέραις |
Accent Rules
acute – ά
| Antepenult | Penult | Ultima | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| short/long | if ultima is short | ||
| short | always | ||
| long | if ultima is long | ||
| short/long | always |
- can stand on short antepenult, if ultima is short
- can stand on long antepenult, if ultima is short
- can stand on short penult
- can stand on long penult, if ultima is long
- can stand on short ultima
- can stand on long ultima
circumflex – ᾶ
| Antepenult | Penult | Ultima | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| long | if ultima is short | ||
| long | always |
- can stand on long penult, if ultima is short
- can stand on long ultima
grave – ὰ
| Antepenult | Penult | Ultima | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| short/long | always |
- can stand on short ultima
- can stand on long ultima
- formed from acute, if word following accented word is not enclitic
General Rules
- Nouns
- Accent tries to stay on same location as is found on nominative singular, as rules above permit.
- Accent location of nominative singular is specific to each noun and must be learned.
- Verbs
- Accent is recessive. It tries to stay as far away from the ultima as rules above permit.
Proclitics/Enclitics
Proclitics
A proclitic leans on the word following it, forming a single unit of accent. They have no accent of their own.
Include:
- Definite Articles – ὁ,ἡ,οἱ,αἱ
- Negative – οὐ
- Prepositions – εἰς,ἐκ,ἐν
- Particles – εἰ,ὡς
Enclitics
An enclitic leans on the word preceding it, forming a single unit of accent.
Include:
- Present indicative forms of εἰμί, excluding εἶ
- Indefinite pronoun forms of τις and τι
- Unstressed forms of 1st and 2nd personal pronouns: μου,μοι,με,σου,σοι,σε
Rules:
- If a word preceding an enclitic has an acute on the ultima, it doesn’t change to a grave.
- If a word preceding an enclitic has an acute on the antepenult or a circumflex on the penult, it acquires a second accent (acute) on the ultima.
- If a word preceding an enclitic is proclitic/enclitic, it acquires an acute on the ultima.
- If a word preceding an enclitic has an acute on the penult and the enclitic has two syllables, it retains its accent.
- If an enclitic begins a sentence/clause, it retains its accent.
Noematos 