Accent

The general rule is that the accent is on the penultima, but to this there are exceptions. Many words ending in a long vowel take the accent on the ultima; as ma‘elega, zealous; ‘ona, to be intoxicated; faigata, difficult. Verbs formed from nouns ending in a, and meaning to abound in, have properly two a‘s, as puaa (pua‘aa), pona, tagata, but

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are written with one. In speaking of a place at some distance, the accent is placed on the last syllable; as ‘O lo‘o i Safotu, he is at Safotu. The same thing is done in referring to a family; as sa Muliaga, the family of Muliaga. So most words ending in ga, not a sign of a noun, as tiga, puapuaga, pologa, faataga, aga. So also all words ending in a diphthong, as mamau, mafai, avai.

In speaking the voice is raised, and the emphasis falls on the last word in each sentence.

When a word receives an addition by means of an affixed particle, the accent is shifted forward; as alofa, love; alofága, loving, or showing love; alofagía, beloved. Reduplicated words have two accents; as pálapála, mud; ségiségi, twilight. Compound words may have even three or four, according to the number of words and affixes of which the compound word is composed; as tofátumoánaíná, to be engulfed.

The articles le and se are unaccented. When used to form a pronoun or participle, le and se are contractions for le e, se c, and so are accented; as ‘O le ana le mea, the owner, lit the (person) whose (is) the thing, instead of O le e ana le mea. The sign of the nominative ‘o, the prepositions o, a, i, e, and the euphonic particles i and te, are unaccented; as ‘O i maua, ma te o alu ia te oe, we two will go to you. Ina, the sign of the imperative, is accented on the ultima; ína, the sign of the subjunctive, on the penultima. The preposition iá is accented on the ultima, the pronoun ia on the penultima.