Audio Recording

Explanation of Grapheme Pronunciation

Grapheme Phoneme Explanation
<u>, <v> /u/, /v/ ([β])

(used interchangeably)

The graphemes <u> and <v> in Latin are used relatively similarly, and this trend continued in Old Spanish. The allophone [β] was beginning to be used in place of /v/, and this occurs in some instances (usually intervocalically).
<b> /b/,  [β] The allophone [β] was beginning to be used in place of /b/, and this occurs in some instances (usually intervocalically).
<xp> /kr/ The word <xpistianos> was pronounced [kristianos]. This seems to be the only instance of this spelling, and it’s unclear why the spelling changed as the word was <christianus> in Latin and <cristianos> in Modern Spanish.
<y> /j/, /i/ The grapheme <y> usually represents the phoneme /j/, however in certain cases it stands as a replacement for <i> /i/.
<ç> /ts/ The grapheme <ç> represents /ts/, which later became /θ/ or /s/
<qu> /kw/ The Old Spanish <qu> is still pronounced like the Latin. In Modern Spanish, most of these words are either spelled <cu> or pronounced /k/
<i> /i/, /j/ Usually, <i> is pronounced /i/, but in certain cases it is pronounced as the yod /j/.
<ue> /we/ The diphthong <ue> is pronounced /we/.
<ui>, <uy> /wi/ The diphthong <ui> or <uy> is pronounced /wi/ (like in Latin)
<ll> /ʎ/ The grapheme <ll> in Old Spanish is pronounced /ʎ/, then becomes /j/ in Modern Spanish.
<ge>, <x> /ʒ/ The graphemes <ge> and <x> are both pronounced /ʒ/, before they become /h/ in Modern Spanish.
<z> /s/ The grapheme <z> is pronounced /s/ in Old Spanish.
<h> /h/ The grapheme <h> was still pronounced /h/. In Modern Spanish, the grapheme <h> is silent.

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