U+02C8 "ˈ" Modifier Letter Vertical Line Unicode Character

U+02C8 "ˈ" Modifier Letter Vertical Line is a typographic symbol used primarily in linguistic notation to represent primary stress, indicating the strongest emphasis on the following syllable in words such as "about" /əˈbaʊt/. It belongs to the category of modifier letters, which are designed to alter the pronunciation of a preceding or following character, and it is a single vertical stroke placed before the stressed syllable in phonetic transcriptions like the International Phonetic Alphabet. This character is distinct from similar-looking symbols like the apostrophe or quotation mark, as it has a specific phonetic purpose and prescribed height and form to ensure clarity in scholarly and educational contexts.