Kirtis populiariose jaunimo dainose

Abstract

The aim of this research is to analyze the importance of an accent in popular songs of young people: versification trends, intervals between accents, the relationship between grammatical and metric accents. 58 songs (1239 lines) from the lists of popular songs announced by radio stations were selected for the research. An accent in songs is an important means of rhythmics. However, only a half of the analysed songs was written by combining syllabic – accentual metres of versification. Only 10 songs were written in one metre. Authors of songs usually mind the general rhythmics rules of a spoken language: they avoid two side-by-side intervals of stressed or long unstressed syllables. Most frequently, one-syllabled (48 %) and two-syllabled (37 %) inter-accentual intervals are used in the analysed songs. Three-syllabled intervals make up only 12 %; while four or five unstressed syllables between accents, as well as two stressed syllables next to each other are rare. Intervals of long stressed syllables are eliminated by inserting secondary accents. When two stressed syllables meet, a word of lower importance loses its accent. The tendency of the Lithuanian language to the choree rhythm (every second syllable is stressed) is even more obvious in the songs. Various accentuation mistakes that have been identified in the songs amount to 66. 54 mistakes are due to the influence of the spoken language; the remaining 12 mistakes were conditioned by metre, rhythm or rhyme. An accent in a poetical language is not only a common pronunciation code of a word, but also a feature of the form or even the inner power of the entire work. Therefore song writers and singers should be especially careful with respect to accentuation.