accentmáswhen

Accentmáswhen is a term used in linguistic typology to describe a hypothetical prosodic pattern in which pitch accents interact with temporal subordination. It refers to a systematic enhancement of the pitch or duration on the word that marks a temporal clause (for example a word meaning when) in sentences where the timing of the main clause depends on the event in the subordinate clause. The name combines accent, más (a marker of emphasis in some analyses), and when, signaling its association with intensified focus on temporal context.

Phonological profile and interpretation vary by analysis. In languages described as exhibiting accentmáswhen, speakers may produce a higher or longer nucleus on the temporal-clause marker when the clause expresses a time-relative condition. This can involve a higher fundamental frequency, extended vowel length, or a distinct tonal contour that sets the clause apart from non-temporal material. The effect is typically analyzed as a cross-lexical prosodic feature rather than a fixed segmental change, and it may co-occur with discourse focus or topic marking.

Distribution and status. Accentmáswhen is predominantly a theoretical construct in cross-linguistic work and in discussions of constructed languages or experimental phonology. It is not widely attested as a universal or robust cross-linguistic pattern, and researchers treat it as a useful diagnostic concept for exploring how prosody encodes temporal relations and focus. Documentation often relies on controlled elicitation or corpus-based phonetic measurement, including acoustic measures of pitch, duration, and spectral tilt.

See also: prosody, pitch accent, intonational phonology, focus, temporal semantics.