Note 45 — DISSERTATION II.

To prove the utility of accent in marking the signification of words, it is only necessary to advert to the two words omission and commission. These words have the accent on the second syllable; but when we use them by way of contrast, we lay a strong accent on the first syllable of each, by which the opposition of sense is distinguished. "Sins of o'mission and com'mission." Thus when we use the word regain, we often lay an accent on re almost equal to that on gain; because the sense of the word depends much, or rather wholly, on the particle.