caeruleancentaur wrote:

> I remember a few years back one of the car manufacturers built a car
> they called the "Volaré," but the word was pronounced on the
> penultimate. I could not fathom why the word needed an acute accent!

I guess that's to show that the "e" is not mute. Cmp. "Pokémon".

I don't think this is casual usage, as I have seen the acute used this way
on a very serioush edition of Shakespeare's plays, especially for marking
the /id/ pronunciation for the "-ed" ending.

However, I find that a diaeresis is much better for this function, as in the
surname of the Brontë sisters.

--
Marco