anudātta

accent

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 18, 2026

Quick Summary

The term anudātta refers to a low tone in the accentual system of Old Indo-Aryan, the earliest stage of Sanskrit. This system featured three basic tones: high (udātta), low (anudātta), and a combined tone (svarita). The anudātta syllable often served as a preparation for the main accent on the udātta syllable. While some scholars debate the exact nature of this accent (pitch, stress, or tongue height), current chanting styles, particularly among Tamil Aiyar Brahmans, differentiate tones by pitch. The anudātta is recited at a low tone, preceding the middle tone of the udātta and the higher tone of the svarita. This system was crucial for preserving the accurate meaning of Vedic texts, as the original accent influenced word meaning, unlike the later stress accent of Classical Sanskrit.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

South Asian arts
Chant intonation
…main accent; the preceding syllable, anudatta, is a kind of preparation for the accent; and the following syllable, svarita, is a kind of return from accentuation to accentlessness. There is some difference of opinion among scholars as to the nature of the original Vedic accent; some have suggested that it…
Read More
…main accent; the preceding syllable, anudatta, is a kind of preparation for the accent; and the following syllable, svarita, is a kind of return from accentuation to accentlessness. There is some difference of opinion among scholars as to the nature of the original Vedic accent; some have suggested that it…
Read More