Let’s grasp the accent of compound noun.

Abstract

• Can do: understand the rules of the accents of compound nouns
• Study style: Grasping the sense of accents with hand movement
• Tools : not in particular
• Preparation : Not in particular

1. What s compound noun?

Noun+Noun：A word which is consisted with 2 or more nouns

2. The rules of the accents of compound nouns

The accent will be one mountain shaped accent. The sound goes down right after the first syllable of the second word.

• 携帯（けいたい）Portable ＋　電話（でんわ）phone　→　携帯電話（）cell phone
• 早稲田（わ^˥せだ）Waseda ＋　大学（だいがく）University　→　早稲田大学（）Waseda university

Exception

Sometimes the accent will not be the mountain when the second noun is too long.

• 自動車教習所 (driving school)　
• 就職相談所 (job information center)　

Some words have 2 possibility of accent such as Foreigner registration certificate

1. 外国人登録 (Foreigner registration) ＋ 証明書 (certificate)　→　
2. 外国人 (Foreigner) ＋ 登録証明書 (registration certificate)　→　

Accent of “person from ~”

The sound will be lower right before “ji”

• インドネシア^˥じん (Indonesian)
• フランス^˥じん (French)
• ちゅうごく^˥じん (Chinese)

Exception

When the last letter is either long vowel or N, it gets lower before or after Ji.

• ノルウ^˥エーじん (Norwegian)
• スウェーデ^˥ンじん (Swedish)
• 日本人（にほんじ^˥ん） (Japanese)