rõhumise

Rõhumise is a term used in Estonian linguistics to describe the phenomenon of stress within a word or sentence. Estonian word stress is generally fixed, falling on the first syllable of most words. This is a significant characteristic that distinguishes Estonian from many other Indo-European languages, which often have variable stress patterns. While the first syllable is the default position, there are some exceptions and nuances. For instance, loanwords may sometimes retain their original stress patterns, or stress might shift due to specific grammatical forms or suffixes.

In addition to word stress, the concept of rõhumise can also extend to sentence stress, where certain words are emphasized to convey particular meaning or focus. This is less rigidly defined than word stress and depends more on the speaker's intention and the context of the utterance. Understanding rõhumise is crucial for both native speakers and learners of Estonian, as it affects pronunciation, rhythm, and can even influence the perception of meaning in connected speech. The consistent stress on the initial syllable contributes to the distinct phonetic quality of the Estonian language.