How to put the accent in the word "meatballs"

Delicious croquettes – small balls of meat or minced fish – a dish that is found in the national cuisines of many countries. However, despite the popularity of this dish, the question of how to put the accent in the word "meatballs", occurs quite often. On what syllable to emphasize, first or second?

 

"Meatballs" – how to put the accent in a word?

The issue of accent in a word "meatballs" in the Russian language can be attributed to the quite complex – there is no consensus even among experts. However, even half a century ago the dictionaries gave conflicting instructions about his pronouncing: for example, in the dictionary of the Russian literary language, edited by Avanesov and Ozhegov (1955 edition definitely recommended to say "meatballs", and a variant with stress on the second syllable specified as incorrect. And in the dictionary of accents for workers of radio and television, edited by Rosenthal, 1960 edition, emphasis should be placed on the second syllable – "meatballs" (also without options).

The authors of more modern dictionaries also differ in point of view on what kind of accents in the word "meatballs" is a literary norm. So, in the directory "Russian dictionary accent" Zarva as a standard option only "meatballs". And in accordance with the "Dictionary of difficulties of pronunciation and accent" Gorbachevich have to say "meatballs", and a variant with stress on the second syllable is provided with a note "not recommended." And the dictionary is edited by Shvedova as the literary norms of the "meatballs" and the accented "meatballs" was listed as acceptable in colloquial speech.

"Meatballs" is the correct accent and inflection

In controversial cases, "the last word" – for reference publications included in the list of reference books containing norms of modern Russian language for its "official" use as state. In orthoepic dictionary of Russian language edited by Reznichenko, included in this list, both stress – and "meatballs" and "meatballs" is specified as equal regulatory options.

The same view is held by the authors and many other reference publications that recognize two variants of the accent for the word "meatballs". The version of "meatballs" for many, it sounds familiar, more "Russian" (also, in the popular Soviet cartoon about Carlson the emphasis SIC); "meatballs" – reminds us of the accent on the first syllable in the German Tefteli, as often happens when borrowing words. Both are correct, as in the case of accented "quark" and "quark".

In the decline of the word "meatballs", the accent remains on the same syllable as in the nominative case.

 

"Meatballs" – form singular and the emphasis in them

Most authors of modern dictionaries and reference books (including the already mentioned pronouncing dictionary Reznichenko) agree that the word "meatballs" can be used only in the plural. To refer to a single ball of forcemeat it is recommended to use a diminutive version of "meatball" with the accent on the second syllable, continued in all forms of the word:

• try the meatball,
• the last meatball,
• five meatballs,
• portion of meatballs,
• fish meatballs.

However, some dictionaries (for example, "dictionary of foreign words") still indicative form singular. They sound in everyday speech. Moreover, the singular and the grammatical gender of the word depends on which syllable you put the stress:

• the plural of"meatballs" is the only "meatball", accent on the second syllable, feminine (delicious meatballs, fish meatballs, eat meatballs last);
• the plural of "meatballs" is the only "meatball", accent on the first syllable, masculine (try the meatball, uneaten meatball, one meatball is not enough).

However, in the literary language it is better to refrain from using the words "meatball" or "meatball", preferring the normative course "meatball".