Which syllable should be accented in the word "chauvinism"?

History · College · Tue Nov 03 2020

Answered on

In the word "chauvinism," the accent should be placed on the first syllable. So the pronunciation is with the stress on the "chau-" part: CHAU-vin-ism.

The English language often puts stress on different syllables of a word to help convey meaning or to differentiate between nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Stress in pronunciation can change the meaning of a word entirely (as is the case with 'record' the noun, and 'record' the verb).

In the case of "chauvinism," stressing the first syllable adheres to a common pattern in English where many polysyllabic words that have originated from French often have the accent on the first syllable. Chauvinism originated from the name of a character, Nicolas Chauvin, who was a patriot with excessively zealous and belligerent beliefs about national superiority. The term has since evolved to denote an undue sense of superiority or belief in the superiority of one's group, which could be based on nationality, gender, or some other characteristic.