Translation guide
The patterns of rhythm, stress, and intonation in speech. In Japanese, prosody is expressed through pitch accent, mora timing, and intonation patterns rather than stress. This guide covers how to talk about prosody as a linguistic concept and how to describe its features.
Referring to prosody as a linguistic field or the overall suprasegmental features of a language.
The standard linguistic term for prosody, covering rhythm, meter, and intonation in poetry and speech.
Japanese prosody is based on pitch accent.
Prosodic features; used when discussing specific aspects like intonation, stress, or rhythm.
Prosodic features include intonation and rhythm.
Loanword from English, used in linguistics contexts. Less common than 韻律 but understood in academic settings.
The study of prosody is an important field of phonetics.
Describing the natural melody, rhythm, or flow of speech, often in language learning or performance.
Intonation or modulation of voice; the rise and fall of pitch in speech. Commonly used in everyday contexts.
His speech lacks much intonation.
Rhythm; often used together with 抑揚 to describe the overall prosodic quality.
The tone or manner of speaking; a more general phrase that can encompass prosodic elements.
Referring to the patterns of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry.
韻律 is the formal linguistic term for prosody, covering both speech and poetry. 抑揚 specifically refers to pitch modulation (intonation), while リズム is rhythm. In everyday conversation about speech, 抑揚 and リズム are more common than 韻律.
Unlike English stress, Japanese uses pitch accent (高低アクセント). When discussing Japanese prosody, it's helpful to mention ピッチアクセント or 高低アクセント.
日本語の自然なリズムと抑揚を身につけたい。
I want to acquire natural Japanese rhythm and intonation.
Emotions are conveyed through the tone of speech.