Accidence is a noun that refers to the inflections and rules governing the formation of words and phrases in a language. The spelling of accidence can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as /əˈsɪd(ə)ns/. The first syllable is pronounced with a schwa sound /ə/, while the following syllable features a short i sound /ɪ/. The final two syllables rhyme, with the second syllable pronounced with a soft d sound /d(ə)/ and the last syllable pronounced with an unvoiced s sound /s/.
Accidence refers to the grammatical inflections and changes of a word that determine its form when it is used in different grammatical contexts. It is a concept closely related to morphology, which studies the structure and formation of words in a language. The study of accidence focuses on the changes that words undergo to express variations in tense, number, gender, person, case, and other grammatical categories.
In accidence, the inflections of a word play a crucial role in conveying the intended meaning and syntactical function in a sentence. For example, in English, the noun "cat" can change its form to "cats" to indicate plurality. Similarly, the verb "run" can take on different forms like "ran" or "running" to express tense or aspect. The study of accidence involves understanding the rules and patterns that govern these changes to ensure grammatical correctness and effective communication.
Accidence is a fundamental part of language learning and analysis, as it provides a systematic framework for understanding how words can be modified to convey different meanings and relationships within a sentence. Its principles are essential for constructing coherent sentences, recognizing word forms, and grasping the nuances of language. By studying accidence, linguists, grammarians, and language learners can gain insight into the structure and functionality of words, enhancing their ability to communicate and comprehend language effectively.
A book containing the definitions and rules of grammar as they fall from or succeed each other.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
The word "accidence" is derived from the Latin term "accidentia", which originates from the larger phrase "ars accedentia". In Latin, "ars" means art or science, and "accedentia" refers to the declension or inflection of words. Therefore, "ars accedentia" can be translated as "the art or science of inflection". Over time, this phrase was anglicized to "accidence" and became a term widely used in grammar and linguistics to describe the study of the inflectional forms of words.