Speakers from different places can share a language and still sound distinct. An accent is a characteristic pattern of pronunciation shaped by region, social group, or the influence of another language.

Accents involve vowel quality, consonant articulation, stress timing, and intonation. They do not by themselves constitute a separate dialect, though accent is often the most audible marker of dialect difference. Listeners frequently attach social meanings to accents, sometimes fairly and sometimes not.

Second-language accents arise when the sound habits of a speaker’s first language carry over. Training can modify some features, yet many speakers retain a recognizable accent for life. Linguists map accents to track sound change and identity rather than to rank them as correct or incorrect.

• Distinctive pronunciation pattern within a language
• Linked to region, class, or language background
• Involves segments, rhythm, and pitch
• Studied as variation, not as error