This lesson introduces the alphabet used to write Standard Italian and explains why Italian spelling is considered highly regular.
The base Italian alphabet has 21 letters: five vowels—⟨a, e, i, o, u⟩—and 16 consonants. The letters ⟨j, k, w, x, y⟩ are not part of the standard native alphabet, although they occur in loanwords, names, scientific terms, and a few words with regional origins.
All flashcards
How many letters form the base Italian alphabet, and how is it divided?
It has 21 letters: five vowels, ⟨a, e, i, o, u⟩, and 16 consonants.
What does it mean to say Italian spelling is almost phonemic?
There is generally a close and predictable correspondence between letters or letter combinations and sounds, although some details such as stress and certain sound distinctions are not consistently written.
What is a geminate consonant?
A geminate is a consonant pronounced for greater duration than its single counterpart; Italian spelling generally marks it by doubling the consonant.
Why is the difference between a single and doubled consonant important?
Consonant length can distinguish words and meanings, as in *caro* (“dear”) versus *carro* (“cart”).
Name two pronunciation details that Italian spelling may leave unmarked.
Stress placement is usually unmarked, and the spelling generally does not distinguish the open and close vowel qualities represented by stressed ⟨e⟩ and ⟨o⟩.
Quiz questions
In standard Italian spelling, how are ⟨c⟩ and ⟨g⟩ generally pronounced before ⟨e⟩ and ⟨i⟩?Answer: Soft: /tʃ/ for ⟨c⟩ and /dʒ/ for ⟨g⟩.
What does silent ⟨h⟩ do in spellings such as ⟨che⟩ and ⟨ghi⟩?Answer: It preserves hard /k/ and /ɡ/ before front vowels.
Which spelling usually represents /kw/, and which usually represents /kkw/ in Italian?Answer: ⟨qu⟩ represents /kw/; ⟨cqu⟩ represents /kkw/.
Which pair shows silent ⟨h⟩ distinguishing a form of *avere* from a homophone?Answer: ⟨ho⟩ (“I have”) and ⟨o⟩ (“or”).
What does an acute accent on ⟨é⟩ generally indicate in Italian?Answer: A stressed close-mid vowel.