Italian language: Difference between revisions
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===Vowels=== | ===Vowels=== | ||
[[Triphthongs]] always contain at least one [[semivowel]]: ''noia'' and ''febbraio'' have the sequence vowel-semivowel-vowel. In ''miei'' the first ''i'' is a semivocalic 'y' sound, {{IPA|[j]}}; in ''tuoi'', the ''u'' functions as a {{IPA|[w]}}; and the final ''i'' of such words can become semivocalic before a following vowel in the next word. The ''i'' is a semivowel also in the first person plural of some verbs: ''continuiamo, dissanguiamo''. And in the four-vowel sequence of ''aiuola'' ('flowerbed') the {{IPA|[j]}} is pushing out the "u" semivowel, {{IPA|[w]}}, so nowadays ''aiola'' is the usual spelling. A similar process appears in words like ''mariuolo'' ('rascal') and ''legnaiuolo'' ('woodcutter'): almost everybody uses them (if at all) in the form ''mariolo'', ''legnaiolo'' etc. | [[Triphthongs]] always contain at least one [[semivowel]]: ''noia'' and ''febbraio'' have the sequence vowel-semivowel-vowel. In ''miei'' the first ''i'' is a semivocalic 'y' sound, {{IPA|[j]}}; in ''tuoi'', the ''u'' functions as a {{IPA|[w]}}; and the final ''i'' of such words can become semivocalic before a following vowel in the next word. The ''i'' is a semivowel also in the first person plural of some verbs: ''continuiamo, dissanguiamo''. And in the four-vowel sequence of ''aiuola'' ('flowerbed') the {{IPA|[j]}} is pushing out the "u" semivowel, {{IPA|[w]}}, so nowadays ''aiola'' is the usual spelling. A similar process appears in words like ''mariuolo'' ('rascal') and ''legnaiuolo'' ('woodcutter'): almost everybody uses them (if at all) in the form ''mariolo'', ''legnaiolo'' etc. | ||
===Mobile diphthongs=== | |||
Many Latin words with a short stressed ''e'' or ''o'' have Italian counterparts with a [[mobile diphthong]] (''ie'' and ''uo'' respectively). When the vowel sound is stressed, it is pronounced and written as a diphthong; when not stressed, it is pronounced and written as a single vowel. | |||
So Latin ''focus'' gave rise to Italian ''fuoco'' (meaning both "fire" and "optical focus"): when unstressed, as in ''focale'' ("focal") the "o" remains alone. Latin ''pes'' (more precisely its accusative form ''pedem'') is the source of Italian ''piede'' (foot): but unstressed "e" was left unchanged in ''pedone'' (pedestrian) and ''pedale'' (pedal). From Latin ''iocus'' comes Italian ''giuoco'' ("play", "game"), though in this case ''gioco'' is more common: ''giocare'' means "to play". From Latin ''homo'' comes Italian ''uomo'' (man), but also ''umano'' (human) and ''ominide'' (hominid). From Latin ''ovum'' comes Italian ''uovo'' (egg) and ''ovaie'' (ovaries). (The same phenomenon occurs in [[Spanish language|Spanish]]: ''juego'' (play, game) and ''jugar'' (to play), ''nieve'' (snow) and ''nevar'' (to snow)). | |||
Revision as of 18:00, 5 November 2007
Sounds
Vowels
Triphthongs always contain at least one semivowel: noia and febbraio have the sequence vowel-semivowel-vowel. In miei the first i is a semivocalic 'y' sound, [j]; in tuoi, the u functions as a [w]; and the final i of such words can become semivocalic before a following vowel in the next word. The i is a semivowel also in the first person plural of some verbs: continuiamo, dissanguiamo. And in the four-vowel sequence of aiuola ('flowerbed') the [j] is pushing out the "u" semivowel, [w], so nowadays aiola is the usual spelling. A similar process appears in words like mariuolo ('rascal') and legnaiuolo ('woodcutter'): almost everybody uses them (if at all) in the form mariolo, legnaiolo etc.
Mobile diphthongs
Many Latin words with a short stressed e or o have Italian counterparts with a mobile diphthong (ie and uo respectively). When the vowel sound is stressed, it is pronounced and written as a diphthong; when not stressed, it is pronounced and written as a single vowel.
So Latin focus gave rise to Italian fuoco (meaning both "fire" and "optical focus"): when unstressed, as in focale ("focal") the "o" remains alone. Latin pes (more precisely its accusative form pedem) is the source of Italian piede (foot): but unstressed "e" was left unchanged in pedone (pedestrian) and pedale (pedal). From Latin iocus comes Italian giuoco ("play", "game"), though in this case gioco is more common: giocare means "to play". From Latin homo comes Italian uomo (man), but also umano (human) and ominide (hominid). From Latin ovum comes Italian uovo (egg) and ovaie (ovaries). (The same phenomenon occurs in Spanish: juego (play, game) and jugar (to play), nieve (snow) and nevar (to snow)).