Rõhuvi

Rõhuvi, also known as stress accent, is a linguistic phenomenon where certain syllables in a word are pronounced with greater emphasis or intensity than others. This emphasis can affect the pitch, loudness, or duration of the syllable. Rõhuvi is a key feature in many languages, including Estonian, Russian, and several Germanic languages.

In Estonian, for example, stress can fall on the first, second, or third syllable of a word, and it can change the meaning of the word. For instance, the word "õhtu" (evening) is stressed on the first syllable, while "õhtul" (in the evening) is stressed on the second syllable. Similarly, in Russian, stress can determine whether a word is a noun or an adjective, as seen in the words "стул" (stool) and "стул" (chair), which differ only in stress.

Rõhuvi is not merely a phonetic feature but also a morphological one, as it can indicate different parts of speech or grammatical categories. In some languages, stress can even create new words or meanings. For example, in English, the word "record" can mean either a musical recording or a written account, depending on the stress.

The study of rõhuvi is important in linguistics, as it provides insights into the structure and evolution of languages. It also has practical applications in language teaching, speech therapy, and natural language processing. Understanding rõhuvi can help learners of a language master its pronunciation rules and improve their overall communication skills.