Accentuation (stress)

Any vowel in the Kuapianese alphabet can be stressed. Generally, if a word contains only one syllable with a vowel, that syllable is the stressed one. If a word contains multiple syllables with vowels, the stress falls on the final syllable that contains a vowel.

Biian → /’biaŋ/ (The stress falls on the only syllable containing a vowel: “ia”)

Jiaoek → /xia’œk/ (Since there are two syllables containing vowels (“ia” and “oe”) the stress falls on the final one)

However, the vowel combinations “eu” and “ua” can override this rule. Not only are they the only ones that receive a visible stress mark (a specific “Martian” accent mark in the Kuapianese alphabet, or a standard accent mark in the Romanised kuapianese), but they can also “claim” the stress for themselves. They take precedence if:

“Eu” or “ua” are present (in which case, no other syllable containing a vowel can be the stressed syllable).

The final syllable of a word contains “eu” or “ua” (this applies even if there are two syllables in the same word that contain “eu” or “ua”).

If “eu” or “ua” appear in a position other than the first syllable, they remain the stressed syllable, though in these instances, the accent mark is omitted. Examples:

Kéu (“eu” is the final syllable, so it carries an accent mark)

Kuaxéu (Greater emphasis is placed on the final syllable containing the vowel combination “eu” or “ua”)

Eursh (The vowel combination “eu” is stressed, but it does not carry an accent mark because it is neither positioned between consonants nor located in the final syllable)

Shuajuaruá (This word contains three instances of “ua,” but only the last one carries an accent mark because the word ends in a vowel that can be accented)