irregular stress
[/ɪˈreɡjələr ˈstres/]
nounpl: irregular stresses
acento irregular; acentuação irregular; estresse irregular
1. In linguistics and phonology, a pattern of stress or emphasis on syllables that does not follow standard or predictable rules within a language or word class
English has many words with irregular stress that confuse non-native speakers, such as 'PREsent' versus 'preSENT'.
O inglês tem muitas palavras com acento irregular que confundem falantes não nativos, como 'PREsent' versus 'preSENT'.
2. In medicine and psychology, emotional or physical strain that occurs unpredictably or without apparent pattern
The patient experienced irregular stress throughout the day due to unexpected work demands.
O paciente experimentou estresse irregular durante o dia devido a demandas inesperadas do trabalho.
In Brazil, the term 'acentuação irregular' is primarily used in educational settings when teaching Portuguese or foreign languages, particularly English. In medical contexts, 'estresse irregular' may be used to describe unpredictable psychological or emotional strain, though less common than 'estresse crônico' (chronic stress). In the USA, this term is predominantly used in linguistic and phonological academic discussions.
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