Y (letter): Difference between revisions
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'''Y, y''' is a letter of the [[Latin alphabet]]. It is the twenty-fifth and penultimate letter of most variants, being placed after [[X (letter)|X]] and before [[Z (letter)|Z]], as is the case for instance in the [[English alphabet]]. Its English name is [ˈwaɪ], like the name of the [[River Wye]], ''why'' pronounced with an English accent (i.e. without the American, Scottish etc. aspiration of ''wh''). | |||
==Use in English== | ==Use in English== | ||
is another version of i - but used very differently (though in exactly the same way in dŷe colour = dîe dead | {{:English_spellings/Catalogs/Masterlist}} | ||
'''y''' is another version of '''i''' - but used very differently (though in exactly the same way in '''dŷe''' ''colour'' = '''dîe''' ''dead''). Unlike '''i''', it can also be a consonant (also called a semi-consonant), and as such it often begins words. The sound is that of the end of the '''i''' sound in such words as '''flîer, skìêr, viôla, piáno''': '''yés, yoúng, yoû, yéllow, beyónd, yôlk''' ''egg'' (= '''yôke''' ''ox''), '''yógurt'''/'''yóghurt'''/'''yóghourt'''. | |||
{{:English spellings/Accents}} | |||
But it is at its most frequent as a vowel at the end of words. Here it is often pronounced | But it is at its most frequent as a vowel at the end of words. Here it is often pronounced like the word '''Î''' at the end of monosyllables: '''whŷ, flŷ, guŷ, stŷ, prŷ, crŷ, trŷ, buŷ''', and in the middle: '''stŷle, mŷre, bŷte''' ''computer'' (= '''bîte''' ''eat''). '''Hŷde''' (as in '''[[Hyde Park|Hŷde Pàrk]]''' or '''''[[Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde|Dr Jékyll and Mr Hŷde]]''''') sounds like '''hîde''', as it does in (and often at the end of) words of two syllables: '''Julŷ, relŷ, denŷ, pŷlon, nŷlon, pŷthon, sŷphon, decrŷ, supplŷ, applŷ''', and in words of more than one syllable: '''beaûtifŷ, dèifŷ, crûcifŷ, mágnifŷ''', [[British English|BrE]] '''páralŷse, ánalŷse''' (in [[American English|AmE]], both -'''yze'''), and stressed in '''hŷacinth, dŷnamite, Dionŷsus, papŷrus'''. | ||
The | The two verbs '''lîe''' ''untrue'' (regular, principal parts: '''lîe, lîed, lîed''') and '''lîe''' ''relax'' (irregular: '''lîe, lây, lâin''') both have '''lŷing''' as their -'''ing''' form. | ||
The short sound is identical to the short '''í'''. It tends to occur after certain letters: '''sýrup, sýstem, sýnagogue, sýndicate, sýnthesis, sýntax, sýmptom, sýmbol''' ''sign'' = '''cýmbal''' ''drum'', '''cýgnet, cýst, cýstic, crýpt, crýptic, crýstal, gým, glýph'''. '''sy'''- is always '''sý'''- with the exceptions of '''Sŷracûse''' and '''sŷphon''' – which can also be spelt '''sîphon'''. | |||
Double letters after '''y''' are very rare: '''sýllable, sýllabus, Lýttelton''', and, with a different vowel sound, '''mÿrrh'''. | |||
The prefix '''dýs'''- ''bad'' is easily confused with the much more common prefix, '''dís'''- ''negative'', which sounds exactly the same: '''dýsentery, dysléxic, dysfúnction''', cf. '''distâste, disallòw, disfâvour, disdâin, dislîke'''. | |||
The grave accent sound (corresponding to the '''ì''' of '''Christìne''') is actually the most common use of '''y''' as a vowel: at the end of words of more than one syllable, it is an unstressed and short '''ê''': '''fúnnỳ, síllỳ, jéllỳ, anỳ, manỳ''' (*énnỳ, *ménnỳ), '''loônỳ, fíddlỳ, fídgetỳ, scrúffỳ, púffỳ, dóttỳ, héadỳ, réadỳ, stéadỳ, Bíllỳ, knóttỳ, íffỳ, jíffỳ, wòrrỳ, sórrỳ, dóllỳ, jóllỳ, súnnỳ''', and also after '''ê''' itself in '''mònêy, hònêy, phônêy, balônêy, mâtêy, hóckêy'''. (When final and stressed this sound is spelt '''êe''': '''referêe, employêe, trustêe, degrêe'''.) | |||
In the middle of words the '''ỳ''' tends to shorten to '''ý''': '''pólýthene, páchýderm''' (*páckíderm). | |||
In final position, '''y''' completes other long vowels: '''awây, sây, thèy, destrŏy, buŷ'''. (Compare: '''mâil, vèin, cŏin, Ruîslip'''.) | |||
In monosyllables, '''ê''' and '''êe''' are usually used for this sound: '''thrêe, sêe, wê''' ''us'' = '''wêe''' ''small'', '''bê''' ''is'' = '''bêe''' ''insect''. But not always, and here is the rare stressed '''ỳ''' (usually with another vowel): '''kêỳ''' ''lock'' = '''quaỳ''' ''harbour''. | |||
And '''ỳ''' can be an alternative to '''ì''' or '''ê''' in names (often French): '''Lỳse''' (-z), '''Mervỳna, Evelỳna''', '''Rhỳs''' (= '''Rêece''' etc.) and unstressed in '''Yvónne, Yvétte''', plus '''Ỳves''' ''man'' (= '''Êve''' ''woman'') and the French city '''Lỳón''', cf. '''lîon''' ''animal'' = '''Lŷon''' ''person''. It also occurs as the first vowel of '''Mỳanmàr''', a variant pronunciation of the intended *Myánmà/Myànmà, and in '''Palmỳra''', a variant pronunciation of '''Palmŷra'''. | |||
The suffix -'''tỳ''' is unstressed: '''líbertỳ, eqùalitỳ, fratërnitỳ, súbtletỳ, normálity''', as is -'''cỳ''': '''fáncỳ, pólicỳ, délicacỳ, nŏrmalcy''', and similarly '''apóstasỳ'''. | |||
Final '''y''' changes to -'''ie'''- before the suffixes -'''s''' and -'''ed''': '''crŷ, crîes, trŷ, trîed, wòrry, wòrries, fratërnity, fratërnities''' but not where there is another vowel preceding the '''y''': '''destrŏyed, plâyed, prâys, buŷs, óspreys, says''' (*séz) and of course not where there is an apostrophe intervening (for these are grammatically different): '''Dáddy’s, bâby’s, Jácky’d, Julŷ’s'''. Welsh names are also an exception, and have the hissing sound: '''Gládýs''', '''Cárýs''', '''Pòwys''', all -íss. | |||
Final '''ŷ''' changes to '''í''' before other suffixes: '''mérríment''', BrE '''wòrrísome''', AmE '''wörrísome''', '''undenîable''', '''verifîable'''. | |||
In many Welsh names such as '''Plaîd Cymru''' (*Plîde Cúmrì), '''y''' is pronounced as '''ú'''. | |||
yy is found only in foreign | ===The full declension of a noun ending in -'''y'''=== | ||
{|class="wikitable" | |||
|- | |||
! | |||
!singular | |||
!plural | |||
|- | |||
|normal | |||
|àrmy | |||
|àrmies | |||
|- | |||
|possessive | |||
|àrmy’s | |||
|àrmies’ | |||
|} | |||
'''àrmies''' = '''àrmy’s''' = '''àrmies’''': all pronounced the same. | |||
The '''y'''s in '''lábyrinth''' *lábrínth and '''Îslay''' *Îlə are silent, as are also those in the names of '''[[Samuel Pepys|Sámuel Pêpys]]''' (= '''pêeps''') and '''[[Duncan Sandys|Dúncan Sándys]]''' (= '''sánds'''). | |||
'''yy''' is found only in foreign names: '''[[Omar Khayyam|Ômar Khayyám]]''', '''Aŷyub''', '''Tàyyip'''. | |||
'''y''' cannot follow '''i''', so *Líbìya is spelt '''Líbya'''. | |||
==Scientific uses== | |||
*Y: yttrium | |||
Latest revision as of 10:09, 19 December 2016
Y, y is a letter of the Latin alphabet. It is the twenty-fifth and penultimate letter of most variants, being placed after X and before Z, as is the case for instance in the English alphabet. Its English name is [ˈwaɪ], like the name of the River Wye, why pronounced with an English accent (i.e. without the American, Scottish etc. aspiration of wh).
Use in English
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Use in English | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alphabetical word list | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retroalphabetical list | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Common misspellings |
y is another version of i - but used very differently (though in exactly the same way in dŷe colour = dîe dead). Unlike i, it can also be a consonant (also called a semi-consonant), and as such it often begins words. The sound is that of the end of the i sound in such words as flîer, skìêr, viôla, piáno: yés, yoúng, yoû, yéllow, beyónd, yôlk egg (= yôke ox), yógurt/yóghurt/yóghourt.
- The accents show stress and pronunciation (see English spellings): A: sát, mâde, pàrk, cāst (cást/càst), åll, ãir; E: ére, êar, vèin, fërn; I: sít, mîne, skì, bïrd; O: sóng, môde, lòve, wörd, ŏr; OO: moôn, foòt; U: sún, mûse, fùll, pürr; W: neŵ, ẁant; Y: gým, mŷ, keỳ, mÿrrh.
But it is at its most frequent as a vowel at the end of words. Here it is often pronounced like the word Î at the end of monosyllables: whŷ, flŷ, guŷ, stŷ, prŷ, crŷ, trŷ, buŷ, and in the middle: stŷle, mŷre, bŷte computer (= bîte eat). Hŷde (as in Hŷde Pàrk or Dr Jékyll and Mr Hŷde) sounds like hîde, as it does in (and often at the end of) words of two syllables: Julŷ, relŷ, denŷ, pŷlon, nŷlon, pŷthon, sŷphon, decrŷ, supplŷ, applŷ, and in words of more than one syllable: beaûtifŷ, dèifŷ, crûcifŷ, mágnifŷ, BrE páralŷse, ánalŷse (in AmE, both -yze), and stressed in hŷacinth, dŷnamite, Dionŷsus, papŷrus.
The two verbs lîe untrue (regular, principal parts: lîe, lîed, lîed) and lîe relax (irregular: lîe, lây, lâin) both have lŷing as their -ing form.
The short sound is identical to the short í. It tends to occur after certain letters: sýrup, sýstem, sýnagogue, sýndicate, sýnthesis, sýntax, sýmptom, sýmbol sign = cýmbal drum, cýgnet, cýst, cýstic, crýpt, crýptic, crýstal, gým, glýph. sy- is always sý- with the exceptions of Sŷracûse and sŷphon – which can also be spelt sîphon.
Double letters after y are very rare: sýllable, sýllabus, Lýttelton, and, with a different vowel sound, mÿrrh.
The prefix dýs- bad is easily confused with the much more common prefix, dís- negative, which sounds exactly the same: dýsentery, dysléxic, dysfúnction, cf. distâste, disallòw, disfâvour, disdâin, dislîke.
The grave accent sound (corresponding to the ì of Christìne) is actually the most common use of y as a vowel: at the end of words of more than one syllable, it is an unstressed and short ê: fúnnỳ, síllỳ, jéllỳ, anỳ, manỳ (*énnỳ, *ménnỳ), loônỳ, fíddlỳ, fídgetỳ, scrúffỳ, púffỳ, dóttỳ, héadỳ, réadỳ, stéadỳ, Bíllỳ, knóttỳ, íffỳ, jíffỳ, wòrrỳ, sórrỳ, dóllỳ, jóllỳ, súnnỳ, and also after ê itself in mònêy, hònêy, phônêy, balônêy, mâtêy, hóckêy. (When final and stressed this sound is spelt êe: referêe, employêe, trustêe, degrêe.)
In the middle of words the ỳ tends to shorten to ý: pólýthene, páchýderm (*páckíderm).
In final position, y completes other long vowels: awây, sây, thèy, destrŏy, buŷ. (Compare: mâil, vèin, cŏin, Ruîslip.)
In monosyllables, ê and êe are usually used for this sound: thrêe, sêe, wê us = wêe small, bê is = bêe insect. But not always, and here is the rare stressed ỳ (usually with another vowel): kêỳ lock = quaỳ harbour.
And ỳ can be an alternative to ì or ê in names (often French): Lỳse (-z), Mervỳna, Evelỳna, Rhỳs (= Rêece etc.) and unstressed in Yvónne, Yvétte, plus Ỳves man (= Êve woman) and the French city Lỳón, cf. lîon animal = Lŷon person. It also occurs as the first vowel of Mỳanmàr, a variant pronunciation of the intended *Myánmà/Myànmà, and in Palmỳra, a variant pronunciation of Palmŷra.
The suffix -tỳ is unstressed: líbertỳ, eqùalitỳ, fratërnitỳ, súbtletỳ, normálity, as is -cỳ: fáncỳ, pólicỳ, délicacỳ, nŏrmalcy, and similarly apóstasỳ.
Final y changes to -ie- before the suffixes -s and -ed: crŷ, crîes, trŷ, trîed, wòrry, wòrries, fratërnity, fratërnities but not where there is another vowel preceding the y: destrŏyed, plâyed, prâys, buŷs, óspreys, says (*séz) and of course not where there is an apostrophe intervening (for these are grammatically different): Dáddy’s, bâby’s, Jácky’d, Julŷ’s. Welsh names are also an exception, and have the hissing sound: Gládýs, Cárýs, Pòwys, all -íss.
Final ŷ changes to í before other suffixes: mérríment, BrE wòrrísome, AmE wörrísome, undenîable, verifîable.
In many Welsh names such as Plaîd Cymru (*Plîde Cúmrì), y is pronounced as ú.
The full declension of a noun ending in -y
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| normal | àrmy | àrmies |
| possessive | àrmy’s | àrmies’ |
àrmies = àrmy’s = àrmies’: all pronounced the same.
The ys in lábyrinth *lábrínth and Îslay *Îlə are silent, as are also those in the names of Sámuel Pêpys (= pêeps) and Dúncan Sándys (= sánds).
yy is found only in foreign names: Ômar Khayyám, Aŷyub, Tàyyip.
y cannot follow i, so *Líbìya is spelt Líbya.
Scientific uses
- Y: yttrium