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Digraph orthography - Sequences

Digraph orthography - Sequences: Encyclopedia II - Digraph orthography - Sequences

This is a group of two letters, both of which are different. Examples from languages include: Basque tx, corresponds to [tʃ] (voiceless postalveolar affricate) Czech ch, corresponds to [x] (voiceless velar fricative) Dutch ch, corresponds to [x] (voice ...

Digraph orthography: Encyclopedia II - Digraph orthography - Sequences

Digraph orthography - Sequences

This is a group of two letters, both of which are different.

Examples from languages include:

Basque
- tx, corresponds to [tʃ] (voiceless postalveolar affricate)

Czech
- ch, corresponds to [x] (voiceless velar fricative)

Dutch
- ch, corresponds to [x] (voiceless velar fricative)
- eu, corresponds to [ø] (close-mid front rounded vowel)
- ie, corresponds to [i] (close front unrounded vowel)
- ng, corresponds to [ŋ] (velar nasal)
- oe, corresponds to [u] (close back rounded vowel)
- sj, corresponds to [ʃ] (voiceless postalveolar fricative)

English
- ch, usually corresponds to [tʃ] (voiceless postalveolar affricate) or [ʃ] (voiceless postalveolar fricative)
- th, usually corresponds to [θ] (voiceless interdental fricative) or [ð], (voiced interdental fricative)
- sh, corresponds to [ʃ], (voiceless postalveolar fricative)
- ng, corresponds to [ŋ] (velar nasal)
- kn, corresponds to [n] (alveolar nasal)
- ph, corresponds to [f] (voiceless labiodental fricative)
- gh, corresponds to [f] (voiceless labiodental fricative) or is silent
- ck, corresponds to [k] (voiceless velar plosive)
- ea, ie, ei correspond mostly to [i] (close front unrounded vowel)
- ai, ay correspond mostly to [ei] (diphthong: close-mid front unrounded vowel followed by close front unrounded vowel)
- ue corresponds to [u] (close back unrounded vowel)

French
- ai, corresponds to [ɛ] (open-mid front unrounded vowel)
- au, corresponds to [o] (close-mid back rounded vowel)
- ch, corresponds to [ʃ] (voiceless postalveolar fricative)
- ou, corresponds to [u] (close back rounded vowel) or [w] (labio-velar approximant)
- gn, corresponds to [ɲ] (palatal nasal)
- qu, corresponds to [k] (voiceless velar stop), typically before historic front vowels

See also French phonology and orthography

Italian
- gl , corresponds to [λ], palatal lateral approximant, before -i (with some exceptions)
- gn, corresponds to [ɲ] (palatal nasal)
- sc corresponds to [ʃ], (voiceless postalveolar fricative) before -i and -e
- ch corresponds to [k] (only used before i, e)
- gh corresponds to [g] (only used before i, e)

Modern Greek
- αι (ai), corresponds to [ɛ]
- ει (ei), corresponds to [i]
- οι (oi), corresponds to [i]
- ου (ou), corresponds to [u]
- γκ (gk), corresponds to [k]
- μπ (mp), corresponds to [b]
- ντ (nt), corresponds to [d]

Some of the above depend on context — see Greek alphabet.

Polish
- dz
- dzi
- dź
- dż
- ch
- rz
- sz, as sh in English

Portuguese
- ch corresponds to ʃ
- lh corresponds to [λ], palatal lateral approximant
- nhcorresponds to [ɲ] (palatal nasal)
- qu corresponds to [k]
- sc
- xc

Spanish
- ch, corresponds to [tʃ] (voiceless postalveolar affricate)
- gu, as g in English before e or i. Pronounced /gw/ before a, o and u.
- gü, corresponds to [gw]. Used only before the letters e and i.
- qu, as k in English. Used only before the letters e and i.

Welsh
- ch, corresponds to [χ] (voiceless uvular fricative), similar to French "r"
- ng, corresponds to [ŋ] (velar nasal), the same sound as in English
- ph, corresponds to [f] (voiceless labiodental fricative)
- rh, corresponds to [r̥] a voiceless R, pronounced roughly like the English combination HR
- th, corresponds to [θ] (voiceless interdental fricative)