umlaut

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Usage notes 1.3.2 Synonyms 1.3.3 Translations 1.4 Verb 1.5 Derived terms 1.6 See also

[edit] English

Wikipedia Wikipedia

[edit] Etymology

From German Umlaut, from um (“‘around’”) + Laut (“‘sound’”), from Old High German hlut.

[edit] Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈʊm.laʊt/, /ˈʌm.laʊt/, SAMPA: /"Um.laUt/, /"Vm.laUt/
• (US) IPA: /ˈʊm.laʊt/, /ˈum.laʊt/, SAMPA: /"Um.laUt/, /"um.laUt/

   Audio (US)^{help, file}

[edit] Noun

umlaut (plural umlauts or umlaute) (Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this sense?)

1. (linguistics) An assimilatory process whereby a vowel is pronounced more like a following vocoid that is separated by one or more consonants.
2. (linguistics) The umlaut process (as above) that occurred historically in Germanic languages whereby back vowels became front vowels when followed by syllable containing a front vocoid (e.g. Germanic lūsi > Old English līs(i) > Modern English lice).
3. (linguistics) A vowel so assimilated.
4. (orthography) The diacritical mark ( ¨ ) placed over a vowel to indicate such assimilation.

[edit] Usage notes

• Although this symbol has the same form as the diaeresis/dieresis, it has as a different function and so in standard and technical usage these two terms are not interchangeable.
• When spelling a German word out loud, one can say “(vowel) umlaut” or “umlauted vowel”. e.g. “oh umlaut” or “umlauted oh” mean “an ‘o’ with an umlaut over it” (ö).

[edit] Synonyms

• (orthography): trema
• (linguistics): vowel harmony

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

to umlaut (third-person singular simple present umlauts, present participle umlauting, simple past and past participle umlauted)

1. To place an umlaut over a vowel.

[edit] Derived terms

• heavy metal umlaut

[edit] See also

• diaeresis, dieresis