List of Letters
The letters of the Basque alphabet are the 26 letters of the ISO basic Latin alphabet plus the ñ (and the ç, as a variant of the c).
This is the whole list, plus the IPA phonology:
| Letter | Basque name | Pronounciation |
|---|---|---|
| A | a | /a/ |
| B | be | /b/ |
| C | ze* (and its variant Ç ze hautsia*) | /s/, /k/ |
| D | de | /d/, /d̪/, /ð/ |
| E | e | /e/ |
| F | efe | /f/ |
| G | ge | /g/, /ɣ/ |
| H | hatxe | ∅, /h/ |
| I | i | /i/, /i̭/ |
| J | jota | /j/, /x/, /ʝ/, /ɟ/ |
| K | ka | /k/ |
| L | ele | /l/ |
| M | eme | /m/ |
| N | ene | /n/ |
| Ñ | eñe | /ɲ/ |
| O | o | /o/ |
| P | pe | /p/ |
| Q | ku* | /k/ |
| R | erre | /r/, /ɾ/ |
| S | ese | /s̺/ |
| T | te | /t/, /t̪/ |
| U | u | /u/, /u̯/ |
| V | uve* | /b/, /β/ |
| W | uve bikoitza* | /u̯/ |
| X | ixa | /ʃ/ |
| Y | i grekoa* | /i/, /i̭/ |
| Z | zeta | /s̻/ |
| * Although letters C, Ç, Q, V, W, and Y are not used in writing traditional |
||
All letters and digraphs represent unique phonemes. The main exception is when l or n are preceded by i, that in most dialects palatalizes their sound into /ʎ/ and /ɲ/, even if these are not written. Hence, Ikurriña can also be written Ikurrina without changing the sound, while the proper name Ainhoa requires the mute h to break the palatalization of the n.
H is mute in most regions, but in the Northeast is pronounced in many places, the main reason for its existence in the Basque alphabet. Its acceptance was a matter of contention during the standardization since the speakers of the most extended dialects had to learn where to place these h's, silent for them.
Read more about this topic: Basque Alphabet
Famous quotes containing the words list of, list and/or letters:
“Do your children view themselves as successes or failures? Are they being encouraged to be inquisitive or passive? Are they afraid to challenge authority and to question assumptions? Do they feel comfortable adapting to change? Are they easily discouraged if they cannot arrive at a solution to a problem? The answers to those questions will give you a better appraisal of their education than any list of courses, grades, or test scores.”
—Lawrence Kutner (20th century)
“Lovers, forget your love,
And list to the love of these,
She a window flower,
And he a winter breeze.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)
“A man who publishes his letters becomes a nudist—nothing shields him from the world’s gaze except his bare skin. A writer, writing away, can always fix himself up to make himself more presentable, but a man who has written a letter is stuck with it for all time.”
—E.B. (Elwyn Brooks)