Pitch Accent
Pitch accent is a feature of some languages where the pitch or tone of a syllable can change the meaning of a word. Unlike languages with fixed stress patterns, pitch accent languages have specific syllables that are pronounced with a higher or lower pitch, which can distinguish words that otherwise sound the same.
In Japanese, for example, the word "hashi" can mean "bridge" or "chopsticks" depending on the pitch of the syllables. Understanding pitch accent is essential for proper pronunciation and comprehension in these languages, as it can significantly affect communication.