How Do You Spell UMLAUT?

Pronunciation: [ˈʌmla͡ʊt] (IPA)

The term "umlaut" is commonly used in linguistics to refer to a phonetic change in vowel pronunciation. Its spelling, however, can be confusing, as its pronunciation does not clearly correspond to its written form. The IPA transcription of "umlaut" is [ˈʊmlaʊt], which breaks down to the sounds "uhm-lout." The first syllable is pronounced with a short "uh" sound, followed by the second syllable with a long "ow" sound. The spelling of "umlaut" reflects this pronunciation, with the letter combination "au" representing the "ow" sound.

UMLAUT Meaning and Definition

1. Umlaut, in linguistic terms, refers to a phonological process by which a vowel sound in a word is modified, usually by changing its quality or pronunciation, often due to the influence of a neighboring vowel sound. This modification is typically marked by adding two dots, called diaeresis or trema, above the affected vowel in writing. Umlaut is commonly observed in Germanic languages, such as German and Swedish.

   The primary purpose of umlaut is to indicate a change in vowel sound that occurs when a front vowel, usually in a suffix or inflection, is followed by a back vowel in the root word. This change results in the front vowel becoming rounded or higher in the mouth to match the quality of the back vowel. For example, in German, the word "Mann" meaning "man" becomes "Männer" in the plural form with the umlauted vowel "ä," marking the change in pronunciation.

   While umlaut primarily applies to vowel sounds, it can also affect consonants in some languages, like Old English and Old Norse. In these cases, it causes a modification of the preceding consonant rather than the vowel.

   Umlaut plays a significant role in the evolution of languages and their historical development. It helps to differentiate between different forms of words and contributes to overall phonetic harmony within a language. Understanding umlaut is crucial in accurately pronouncing and interpreting words in Germanic languages.

Common Misspellings for UMLAUT

• imlant
• umlus
• umlut
• untaut
• umlaust
• Umlaoted
• Umlout
• Uhlaun
• omlaust
• Umllut

Etymology of UMLAUT

The word "umlaut" has its roots in the German language. It is derived from the German word "Umlaut", which is a combination of "um" (around) and "Laut" (sound). The term was coined to describe a linguistic phenomenon in Germanic languages where the vowel sound in a word changes when influenced by a front vowel in a following syllable. The umlaut marks, such as the two dots (¨) above vowels, were developed to indicate this change in pronunciation. The concept and term "umlaut" have been adopted into English and other languages to refer to this phonetic phenomenon.

Plural form of UMLAUT is UMLAUTS