well - today I learned. I knew “putrescent”, I’d just been saying it with stress on the wrong syllable. Thanks!
To be fair, from the linked pronunciation example, putrescent doesn’t sound so wrong at all, while quintessence sounds really very very wrong :D We do have Quintessenz in German which is stressed on the first syllable, so that’s probably why.
Coming from two latin words, combined into one, I’d argue both languages got it wrong, because the first two syllables should both have equal stress.
When I started listening to lots of audiobooks and podcasts in English, I discovered that many words have the stress further than I’ve thought from reading them.
I’d argue putrescence is emphasized on the first syllable. But then I’m not a native speaker, so… But Putrescence sounds quite wrong to me.
Yeah, it comes from “putrescent” which has a stressed second syllable. “Quintessence” is a close sibling structurally if that one’s less off-putting.
well - today I learned. I knew “putrescent”, I’d just been saying it with stress on the wrong syllable. Thanks!
To be fair, from the linked pronunciation example, putrescent doesn’t sound so wrong at all, while quintessence sounds really very very wrong :D We do have Quintessenz in German which is stressed on the first syllable, so that’s probably why. Coming from two latin words, combined into one, I’d argue both languages got it wrong, because the first two syllables should both have equal stress.
When I started listening to lots of audiobooks and podcasts in English, I discovered that many words have the stress further than I’ve thought from reading them.