udātta

accented syllable

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

In Old Indo-Aryan languages, an accented syllable is referred to as udātta. This is one of three basic tones a syllable can have, alongside anudātta (low tone) and svarita (a tone that starts high and drops to low). The accentuation system, which involves these tones, varied between different dialects. For instance, some dialects had a system with only high and low tones, while others completely eliminated the svarita tone, replacing it with a high tone. The specific pronunciation of a svarita syllable also differed across dialects.1

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
…pattern: the central syllable, called udatta, receives the 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…
Read More
…pattern: the central syllable, called udatta, receives the 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…
Read More