Catalan phonology

The Catalan phonology (or Valencian phonology) has a certain degree of dialectal variation. Although there are two standard varieties, one based on Central Eastern dialect and another one based on South-Western or Valencian, this article deals with features of all or most dialects, as well as regional pronunciation differences.

Catalan is characterized by final-obstruent devoicing, lenition, and voicing assimilation; a set of 7 to 8 phonemic vowels, vowel assimilations (including vowel harmony), many phonetic diphthongs, and vowel reduction, whose precise details differ between dialects.

Consonants

Consonants of CatalanTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn

		Labial	Dental	Alveolar	Palatal	Velar	Uvular	Glottal
Nasal		Template:IPA link	Template:IPA linkTemplate:Ref		Template:IPA linkTemplate:Ref	(Template:IPA link)
Plosive	voiceless	Template:IPA link	Template:IPA linkTemplate:Ref		Template:IPA linkTemplate:Ref
	voiced	Template:IPA link	Template:IPA linkTemplate:Ref		Template:IPA linkTemplate:Ref
Affricate	voiceless		(Template:IPA link)Template:Ref		Template:IPA linkTemplate:Ref
	voiced		Template:IPA linkTemplate:Ref		Template:IPA linkTemplate:Ref
Fricative	voiceless	Template:IPA link	(Template:IPA link)	Template:IPA linkTemplate:Ref	Template:IPA linkTemplate:Ref	(Template:IPA link)		(Template:IPA link)
	voiced	(Template:IPA link)		Template:IPA linkTemplate:Ref	Template:IPA linkTemplate:Ref		(Template:IPA link)
Approximant	central				Template:IPA link	Template:IPA link
	lateral		Template:IPA linkTemplate:Ref		Template:IPA linkTemplate:Ref
Trill				Template:IPA linkTemplate:Ref			(Template:IPA link)
Tap				Template:IPA linkTemplate:Ref

Phonetic notes:

• Template:Note Template:IPA, Template:IPA are laminal denti-alveolar Template:IPAblink, Template:IPAblink.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:EfnTemplate:Efn After Template:IPA, they are laminal alveolar Template:IPAblink, Template:IPAblink.Template:Sfn
• Template:Note Template:IPA, Template:IPA are velarTemplate:SfnTemplate:EfnTemplate:Efn but fronted to pre-velar position before front vowels.Template:Sfn In some Majorcan dialects, the situation is reversed; the main realization is palatal Template:IPAblink, Template:IPAblink,Template:Sfn but before liquids and rounded back vowels they are velar Template:IPAblink, Template:IPAblink.Template:Sfn
• Template:Note Template:IPA, Template:IPA, Template:IPA are apical front alveolar Template:IPAblink, Template:IPAblink, Template:IPAblink,Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:EfnTemplate:Efn Template:Efn but the first two are laminal denti-alveolar Template:IPAblink, Template:IPAblink before Template:IPA, Template:IPA.Template:Sfn In addition, Template:IPA is postalveolar Template:IPAblinkTemplate:Sfn or alveolo-palatal Template:IPAblinkTemplate:Sfn before Template:IPA, Template:IPA, Template:IPA, Template:IPA,Template:Sfn velar Template:IPAblink before Template:IPA, Template:IPA and labiodental Template:IPAblink before Template:IPA, (Template:IPA), where it merges with Template:IPA. It also merges with Template:IPA (to Template:IPAblink) before Template:IPA, Template:IPA.
• Template:Note Template:IPA, Template:IPA, Template:IPA are apical back alveolar Template:IPAblink, Template:IPAblink, Template:IPAblink,Template:SfnTemplate:EfnTemplate:EfnTemplate:Efn also described as postalveolar.Template:Sfn
• Template:NoteTemplate:IPA, Template:IPA are apical alveolar Template:IPA, Template:IPA.Template:EfnTemplate:EfnTemplate:Sfn They may be somewhat fronted, so that the stop component is laminal denti-alveolar, while the fricative component is apical post-dental. Template:IPA is rare and may not be phonemic (see below).
• Template:NoteTemplate:IPA, Template:IPA are laminal "front alveolo-palatal" Template:IPAblink, Template:IPAblink.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
• Template:Note There is some confusion in the literature about the precise phonetic characteristics of Template:IPA, Template:IPA, Template:IPA, and Template:IPA; while Template:Harvcoltxt and Template:Harvcoltxt describe them as "back alveolo-palatal",Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn implying that the characters Template:Angbr IPA would be more accurate, they (and all literature on Catalan) use the characters for palato-alveolar affricates and fricatives while using Template:Angbr IPA for alveolo-palatal sounds in examples in other languages like Polish or Chinese.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn Otherwise, sources, like Template:Harvcoltxt generally describe them as "postalveolar".Template:Sfn

Obstruents

Obstruents assimilate to the voicing of the following consonant. Voiced obstruents undergo final-obstruent devoicing so that Template:Lang ('cold', m. s.) is pronounced with Template:IPA (Template:IPA, Template:IPA, Template:IPA) while Template:Lang ('cold', f. pl.) is pronounced with Template:IPA (Template:IPA, Template:IPA, Template:IPA).Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Table with minimal pairs:

Coda obstruents minimal pairs
IPA	word	gloss	word	gloss
Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'cube'	Template:Lang	'winepress'
Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'thrush'	Template:Lang	'crooked'
Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'magician'	Template:Lang	'pebble'
Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'exempt'
Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'he or she buzzes'	Template:Lang	'dark browns'
Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'ray'

Plosives

Voiced plosives (also called stops) become lenited to approximants in syllable onsets, after continuants:Template:Sfn Template:IPA → Template:IPAblink, Template:IPA → Template:IPAblink, Template:IPA → Template:IPAblink.

• Exceptions include Template:IPA after lateral consonants (e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) 'oeil-de-boeuf') and Template:IPA after labiodentals (Template:IPA, Template:IPA), e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) ('really good pen').
• In non-betacist dialects (those who do not merge Template:IPA with Template:IPA), Template:IPA remains unlenited (Template:Lang Template:IPA (B) / Template:IPA (V) 'oeil-de-boeuf').
• In some dialects, e.g. many Valencian accents, initial (that is, in all environments except after a nasal) Template:IPA can be lenited: Template:Lang Template:IPA ('cat').Template:Sfn
• In the coda position, these sounds are always realized as stops;Template:Sfn except in some Valencian dialects, where they might be lenited.Template:Sfn

In Catalan and Balearic (not in Valencian), labial Template:IPA and Template:IPA, and velar stops Template:IPA and Template:IPA may be geminated in intervocalic position before Template:IPA (e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA 'village, people', Template:Lang Template:IPA 'rule').Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Intervocalic Template:IPA is dropped (particularly in participles) in regular speech in Valencian, with compensatory lengthening of vowel Template:IPA; e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA ('afternoon').Template:Sfn

In Majorcan varieties, velar stops Template:IPA and Template:IPA become Template:IPAblink and Template:IPAblink word-finally and before front vowels,Template:Sfn in some of these dialects, this has extended to all environments except before liquids and back vowels; e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA ('blood').Template:Sfn

• The dorso-palatal Template:IPAblink may occur in complementary distribution with Template:IPAblink, only in Majorcan varieties that have dorso-palatals rather than the velars found in most dialects: Template:Lang Template:IPA ('war') vs. Template:Lang Template:IPA ('the war').Template:Sfn

In the Valencian dialects final voiceless plosives (Template:IPA) may be lenited before a vowel: Template:Lang Template:IPA ('all this').Template:Sfn

Affricates

The phonemic status of affricates is dubious; after other consonants, affricates are in free variation with fricatives, e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) ('hair parting')Template:Sfn and may be analyzed as either single phonemes or clusters of a stop and a fricative.

• Alveolar affricates, Template:IPAblink and Template:IPAblink, occur the least of all affricates.Template:Sfn
  • Template:IPA only occurs intervocalically: Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) ('toxic substances').Template:Sfn
    • In Valencian, many instances of Template:IPA (especially the -itzar suffix) are deaffricated to Template:IPA: Template:Lang Template:IPA ('to use').
  • Instances of Template:IPA arise mostly from compounding; the few lexical instances arise from historical compounding.Template:Sfn For instance, Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) ('maybe') comes from Template:Lang ('may') + Template:Lang ('be' inf). As such, Template:IPA does not occur word-initially; other than some rare words of foreign origin (e.g. Template:Lang 'tsar',Template:Efn Template:Lang 'tsuga'Template:Efn), but it may occur word-finally and quite often in cases of heteromorphemic (i.e. across a morpheme boundary) plural endings: Template:Lang Template:IPA ('everybody').Template:Sfn Several linguists claim Template:IPA is not a phoneme on its own, but a simple combination of Template:IPA and Template:IPA, in the same way that the Template:IPA in English 'cats' is not phonemic.Template:Sfn
• The distribution of alveolo-palatal affricates, Template:IPAblink and Template:IPAblink, depends on dialect:
  • In most of Valencian and southern Catalonia,Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn most occurrences of Template:IPA correspond to the voiced fricative Template:IPA in Standard Eastern Catalan: Template:Lang Template:IPA ('ice').
  • In Standard Eastern Catalan, word-initial Template:IPA is found only in a few words of foreign origin (e.g. Template:Lang 'Czech',Template:Efn Template:Lang 'Tchaikovsky') while being found freely intervocalically (e.g. Template:Lang 'arrow') and word-finally: Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) ('office').
  • Standard Eastern Catalan also only allows Template:IPA in intervocalic position (e.g. Template:Lang 'medic'). Phonemic analyses show word-final occurrences of Template:IPA (e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) 'skew ray'), but final devoicing eliminates this from the surface: Template:Lang Template:IPA ('ray').
  • In various other dialects (as well as in emphatic speech),Template:Sfn including Valencian and its standard variety, Template:IPA occurs word-initially and after another consonant to the exclusion of Template:IPA (although there are exceptions). These instances of word-initial Template:IPA seem to correspond to Template:IPA in other dialects, including the standard (Eastern Catalan) on which the orthography is based: Template:Lang ('bedbug'), pronounced Template:IPA in Standard Catalan, is Template:IPA in these varietiesTemplate:Sfn (including Standard Valencian).

There is dialectal variation in regards to affricate length, with long affricates occurring in both Eastern and Western dialects such as in Majorca and few areas in Southern Valencia.Template:Sfn Also, intervocalic affricates are predominantly long, especially those that are voiced or occurring immediately after a stressed syllable (e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) 'medic').Template:Sfn In Modern Valencian Template:IPA and Template:IPA have merged into Template:IPA, except in some parts of Southern Valencian.

In Aragonese Catalan (especially Ribagorçan) and Central Valencian (the so called Template:Lang accent), voiced fricatives and affricates are missing (i.e. Template:IPA has merged with Template:IPA, Template:IPA has merged with Template:IPA, with only voiceless realizations occurring).Template:Sfn

Fricatives

The labiodental fricative (Template:IPA) occurs in Balearic,Template:Sfn as well as in Alguerese, Standard Valencian and some areas in southern Catalonia.Template:Sfn Everywhere else (including parts of Valencian, like its central dialect),Template:Sfn it has merged with historic Template:IPA so that Template:IPA and Template:IPA occur in complementary distribution.Template:Sfn

• In Valencian, Template:IPA is realized as an approximant Template:IPAblink after continuants: Template:Lang Template:IPA ('advance').Template:Sfn
• In Majorcan, Template:IPA and Template:IPA are in complementary distribution, with Template:IPAblink occurring before vowels (e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA 'blue' f. vs. Template:Lang Template:IPA 'blue' m.).
• In other varieties that have both sounds, they are in contrast before vowels, with neutralization in favor of Template:IPAblink before consonants.Template:Sfn

In Majorcan and Minorcan, Template:IPA undergoes total assimilation to a following consonant (just as stops do): Template:Lang Template:IPA ('large puff').Template:Sfn

The dental fricative Template:IPA only appears in Ribagorçan and Lower Aragon, in contrast with Template:IPA. Spanish loanwords with this sound may be replaced by Template:IPA in both Catalan and Valencian.Template:Sfn

The velar fricative Template:IPA (or uvular Template:IPA) is found in Spanish interferences, especially in Aragon and Southern Valencia.Template:Sfn

The glottal fricative Template:IPA is found in loanwords and interjections,Template:Sfn although Template:IPA is usually replaced by Template:IPA in loanwords.Template:Sfn

Sonorants

Laterals

Laterals assimilate the place of articulation of the following consonant (see "Assimilations" below). The lateral Template:IPA may be geminated in careful speech (e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA 'illusion'). A geminated Template:IPA may also occur (e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) 'line').Template:Sfn

• While "dark (velarized) l", Template:IPAblink, may be a positional allophone of Template:IPA in most dialects (such as in the syllable coda; e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA 'ground'),Template:Sfn Template:IPA is dark irrespective of position in Eastern dialects like MajorcanTemplate:Sfn and standard Eastern Catalan (e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA). For simplicity dark l is not transcribed in this article.
• In Aragonese Catalan (including Ribagorçan), Template:IPA is palatalized to Template:IPAblink in consonant clusters; e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA 'it rains'.Template:Sfn
• In Alguerese and Ribagorçan word-final Template:IPA is depalatized to Template:IPAblink: Template:Lang Template:IPA ('rooster').Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Nasals

Nasals assimilate the place of articulation of the following consonant (see "Assimilations" below). In careful speech, Template:IPA and Template:IPA may be geminated (e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) 'unnecessary', Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) 'to store').Template:Sfn

• In Alguerese and Ribagorçan word-final Template:IPA is depalatized to Template:IPAblink: Template:Lang Template:IPA ('year').Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Rhotics

The distribution of the two rhotics Template:IPA and Template:IPA closely parallels that of Spanish. Wheeler analyzes intervocalic Template:IPA as the result of gemination of a single rhotic phoneme:Template:Sfn Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) 'saw, mountains' (this is similar to the common analysis of Spanish and Portuguese rhotics).Template:Sfn

• Between vowels, the two contrast (e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) 'myrrh' vs. Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) 'he or she looks'), but they are otherwise in complementary distribution. Template:IPAblink appears in the onset, except in word-initial position (Template:Lang 'donkey'), after Template:IPA, Template:IPA, and Template:IPA (Template:Lang 'lining', Template:Lang 'honour', Template:Lang 'Israel'), and in compounds (Template:Lang 'infrared'), where Template:IPAblink is used.
  • Majorcan contrasts Template:IPA and Template:IPA in word final position, e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA ('I speak') vs. Template:Lang Template:IPA ('he or she dies').Template:Sfn
  • In Majorcan final Template:IPA + Template:IPA can be assimilated to Template:IPA (e.g. carn Template:IPA 'meat').Template:Sfn
• Different dialects vary in regards to rhotics in the coda, with Western Catalan generally featuring Template:IPAblink and Central Catalan dialects like those of Barcelona or Girona featuring a weakly trilled Template:IPAblink unless it precedes a vowel-initial word in the same prosodic unit, in which case Template:IPAblink appears (Template:Lang Template:IPA (W), Template:IPA (E) 'for', but (E) Template:Lang Template:IPA 'for you').Template:Sfn
• There is free variation in Template:IPA word-initially, after Template:IPA, Template:IPA, and Template:IPA, and in compounds (if Template:IPA is preceded by consonant), wherein Template:IPA is pronounced Template:IPA or Template:IPAblink, the latter being similar to English red: Template:Lang Template:IPA ('donkey').
  • In Northern Catalonia and in some accents of Majorcan (e.g. in the town of Sóller), a uvular trill Template:IPAblink or approximant Template:IPAblink can be heard instead of the alveolar trill; e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA ('to run').Template:Sfn

Vowels

Vowels of CatalanTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn

	Front		Central		Back
Close / Near-close	Template:IPA link   (Template:IPA link)				Template:IPA link
	(Template:IPA link)				(Template:IPA link)
Close-mid	Template:IPA link	(Template:IPA link)   (Template:IPA link)	(Template:IPA link)		(Template:IPA link)	Template:IPA link
Open-mid	Template:IPA link					Template:IPA link
Near-open / Open	(Template:IPA link)				(Template:IPA link)
	Template:IPA link  ~  (Template:IPA link)

Phonetic notes:

• The vowel Template:IPA (Template:IPAblink in General Catalan) is further back and open than the Castilian counterpart in North-Western and Central Catalan (i.e. it approaches Template:IPAblink in isolation or in a neutral environment),Template:Sfn it is slightly fronted and closed in Valencian and Ribagorçan (Template:IPA, also represented as Template:IPA due to its lower quality in comparison with the Barcelonan Template:IPA), and further fronted and closed (Template:IPA) in Majorcan.Template:Sfn
  • Stressed Template:IPA can be further retracted to Template:IPAblink in contact with velar consonants (including the velarized Template:IPAblink), and fronted to Template:IPAblink in contact with palatals.Template:Sfn This is not transcribed in the article.
    • The palatal pronunciation of Template:IPA may merge with Template:IPA by some speakers.Template:Sfn
• The central vowel Template:IPA in stressed position is found in Majorcan and part of Minorcan, in the Balearic Islands.
  • The realization of the reduced vowel Template:IPA varies from mid Template:IPAblink to near-open Template:IPAblink, with the latter variant being the most usual in the Barcelona metropolitan area, where the distinction between Template:IPA and Template:IPA is less pronounced than in other varieties that maintain the distinction.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
    • In some subvariants (Solsonès and Garrotxa), it has a more back pronunciation, like Template:IPAblink.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• The open-mid Template:IPA and Template:IPA are lower Template:IPAblink and Template:IPAblink (also represented by Template:IPA in some sources) in Majorcan, Minorcan and Valencian.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn
  • Template:IPA is slightly more open and centralized before liquids Template:IPA and in monosyllabics.Template:Sfn
  • Template:IPA is most often a back vowel. In some dialects (like Majorcan and Southern Valencian) Template:IPA can be unrounded.Template:Sfn
• Template:IPA and Template:IPA can be realized as mid vowels Template:IPA in some cases. This occurs more often with Template:IPA.Template:Sfn
  • In Northern Catalan, Modern Alguerese and some places bordering the Aragonese and Spanish-speaking areas, open-mid and close-mid vowels may merge into mid vowels; Template:IPAblink and/or Template:IPAblink (or Template:IPAblink and/or Template:IPAblink; as represented on the chart above. Note these vowels can also be represented with Template:IPA and Template:IPA in some manuals).Template:Sfn
• The close vowels Template:IPA are more open than in Castilian. Unstressed Template:IPA are centralized.Template:Sfn
  • In Valencian and most Balearic dialects Template:IPA are further open and centralized, especially in unstressed position Template:IPA.Template:Sfn
• Northern Catalan sometimes adds two loan rounded vowels, Template:IPAblink and Template:IPAblink (or Template:IPAblink), from French and Occitan (e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA 'aim', Template:Lang Template:IPA 'leaves').Template:Sfn
  • Similarly French Template:IPA and Template:IPA (and Template:IPA) are mostly adapted with Template:IPA (e.g. Template:Lang) and Template:IPA (Template:Lang), respectively .
• Phonetic nasalization occurs for vowels occurring between nasal consonants or when preceding a syllable-final nasal: Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) ('Sunday').Template:Sfn
• Vowels can be lengthened in some contexts, e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) ('coordination').Template:Sfn

Stressed vowels

File:Catalan vowel chart.svg

Vowels of Standard Eastern CatalanTemplate:Sfn

File:Valencian vowel chart.svg

Vowels of ValencianTemplate:Sfn

Most varieties of Catalan contrast seven stressed vowel phonemes.Template:Sfn However, some Balearic dialects have an additional stressed vowel phoneme (Template:IPAslink); e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA ('dry, I sit').Template:Sfn The stressed schwa of these dialects corresponds to Template:IPA in Central Catalan and Template:IPA in Western Catalan varieties (that is, Central and Western Catalan dialects differ in their incidence of Template:IPA and Template:IPA, with Template:IPA appearing more frequently in Western Catalan; e.g. Central Catalan Template:Lang Template:IPA vs. Western Catalan Template:Lang Template:IPA ('dry, I sit')Template:Sfn - For a list showing the frequency of these vowels, see cases where /ɛ/ and /ɔ/ developed in modern Catalan (Central Standard Catalan) and Valencian (Western Catalan) and cases where /ə/ developed in Balearic Catalan).

Contrasting series of the main Catalan dialects:

Central CatalanTemplate:Sfn
[Eastern Catalan]

Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Gloss
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'bag'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'dry', 'I sit'
	Template:IPA link	'fold'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'sic'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'clog'
	Template:IPA link	'I am'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'juice'
Other contrast
Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Gloss
*set	Template:IPA link	'seven'
		'thirst'

BalearicTemplate:Sfn
[Eastern Catalan]

Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Gloss
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'bag'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'dry', 'I sit'
	Template:IPA link	'fold'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'sic'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'clog'
	Template:IPA link	'I am'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'juice'
Other contrast
Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Gloss
*Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'seven'
	Template:IPA link	'thirst'

Western CatalanTemplate:Sfn &
Alguerese [Eastern]Template:Sfn

Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Gloss
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'bag'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'dry', 'I sit'
		'fold'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'sic'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'clog'
	Template:IPA link	'I am'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'juice'
Other contrast
Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Gloss
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'seven'
	Template:IPA link	'thirst'

Northern CatalanTemplate:Sfn &
Template:Abbr Alguerese
[Eastern Catalan]

Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Gloss
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'bag'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'dry', 'I sit'
		'fold'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'sic'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA linkTemplate:Efn-lr	'clog'
		'I am'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'juice'
Other contrast
Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr	Gloss
*Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'seven'
		'thirst'

Reduced vowels

In Eastern Catalan, vowels in unstressed position reduce to three : Template:IPA, Template:IPA, Template:IPA (phonetically Template:IPA in Barcelona); Template:IPA, Template:IPA, Template:IPA; Template:IPA remains unchanged. However there are some dialectal differences: Alguerese merges Template:IPA, Template:IPA and Template:IPA with Template:IPA; and in most areas of Majorca, Template:IPA can appear in unstressed position (that is, Template:IPA and Template:IPA are usually reduced to Template:IPA).Template:Sfn

In Western Catalan (which includes Valencian and North-Western Catalan), vowels in unstressed position reduce to five: Template:IPA, Template:IPA; Template:IPA, Template:IPA; Template:IPA remain unchanged.Template:Sfn However, in some Western dialects reduced vowels tend to merge into different realizations in some cases:

• Unstressed Template:IPA may merge with Template:IPA before a nasal or sibilant consonant (e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA 'anvil', Template:Lang Template:IPA 'swarm'), in some environments before any consonant (e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA 'earthy'), and in monosyllabic clitics. This sounds almost the same as the Barcelonan open schwa Template:IPAblink.Template:Sfn Likewise, unstressed Template:IPA may merge into Template:IPA when in contact with palatal consonants (e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA 'lord').Template:Sfn
• Unstressed Template:IPA may merge with Template:IPA before a bilabial consonant (e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA 'covered'), before a stressed syllable with a high vowel (e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA 'rabbit'), in contact with palatal consonants (e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA 'Joseph'), and in monosyllabic clitics.Template:Sfn
• Besides vowel harmony or vowel assimilation (see below), unstressed Template:IPA and Template:IPA may be found sporadically in compounds like Template:Lang ('seventeen') and Template:Lang (or Template:Lang) ('nineteen').

General
Eastern CatalanTemplate:Sfn

Term	Template:Abbr	Gloss
Template:Lang	Template:IPA linkTemplate:Efn-lrTemplate:Efn-lr	'speech'
Template:Lang		'back'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'lily'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'iron'
Template:Lang		'mutual'

Majorcan BalearicTemplate:Sfn
[Eastern Catalan]

Term	Template:Abbr	Gloss
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'speech'
Template:Lang		'back'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'lily'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA linkTemplate:Efn-lr	'iron'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'mutual'

General
Western CatalanTemplate:Sfn

Term	Template:Abbr	Gloss
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'speech'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'back'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'lily'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'iron'
Template:Lang	Template:IPA link	'mutual'

Vowel harmony

The harmony of Valencian is a clear example of harmony conditioned by a strong element: in some Valencian dialects, word-final post-tonic Template:IPA becomes Template:IPA and Template:IPA when the preceding syllable contains tonic open-mid (or near-open) vowels Template:IPA and Template:IPA; that is, Template:IPA and Template:IPA propagate the palatal and labial features, respectively, to the final vowel Template:IPA, as the examples. The articulatory features extend from a phonologically privileged position—the stressed syllable—to a weak position—an unstressed syllable—a perceptual asymmetry emphasized by the fact that the harmony trigger belongs to the radical while the assimilated segment is normally an inflectional affix.

a)

Example	IPA	Translation
terra	Template:IPA	'Earth, land'
tela	Template:IPA	'fabric'
pela	Template:IPA	'he or she peels'
perla	Template:IPA	'pearl'

b)

Example	IPA	Translation
cosa	Template:IPA	'thing'
mora	Template:IPA	'Moor', f.
tova	Template:IPA	'soft', f.
vora	Template:IPA	'edge, shore'

In the most widespread system of harmony, both open-mid vowels cause assimilation; in other systems, distributed over the harmonic territory quite randomly, only one of the vowels triggers the change. For example, in Cullera only the front vowel causes assimilation, while in Borriana the labial vowel is the only one that allows harmony. However, in both the broadest and the narrowest versions, and even in the sporadic cases of two-way harmony that are presented here, the pattern of strong → weak extension remains constant.

In the harmonic phenomenon just described, articulatory features spread from left to right. However, there is no shortage of assimilations in which the features spread to the left of the prominent position. This occurs in Majorcan when pretonic Template:IPA is closed to Template:IPA in words that contain a close tonic vowel, e.g. cTemplate:IPAnill, cTemplate:IPAsí, cTemplate:IPAmú (cf. Template:Harvcoltxt). The change involves the extension of the height feature again in the direction dictated by the strong → weak saliency relationship. Similar closures are documented in various Western languages; among these, Tortosan stands out, where the phenomenon, quite variable and often limited to the elderly, presents the peculiarity that height does not only propagate from tonic vowels, but can also do so from unstressed ones (cfr. Template:Harvcoltxt). In general terms, and in accordance with the data collected by Template:Harvcoltxt (in prep.), a pretonic mid vowel may become close under the influence of a close vowel with the same point of articulation—palatal or labial—in a following syllable; in this way, vowel sequences of the type e...i and o...u become i...i a) and u...u b), respectively. The assimilation of mid vowels to a high vowel of a different point of articulation is possible, but in the sequence e...u it is reduced to some words c), and in the sequence o...i it is usually limited to fossilized cases, so that the disharmonious alternatives in d) reflect only copied pronunciations of the orthography.Template:Sfn

a)

Example	IPA	Translation
melic	Template:IPA	'belly button'
delicat	Template:IPA	'delicate'

b)

Example	IPA	Translation
absolut	Template:IPA	'absolute'
bromur	Template:IPA	'bromide'

c)

Example	IPA	Translation
betum	Template:IPA	'betumen'
menut	Template:IPA	'small'

d)

Example	IPA	Translation
avorrir	Template:IPA	'to bore'
botiga	Template:IPA	'shop'

Of the phenomena presented above, the most common and systematic is the change e...i → i...i. As in the examples, Template:IPA becomes Template:IPA when it precedes a stressed Template:IPA or unstressed Template:IPA. Closure can even affect a series of two pretonic vowels. Assimilation never affects stressed vowels and there is also no harmony when Template:IPA and Template:IPA do not occupy adjacent syllables.

With certain restrictions, the phenomenon can modify the final vowel of the first element of a compound and proclitic elements such as numerals or unstressed pronouns. In the last case, when the vowel of the pronoun is not strictly adjacent to the syllable that triggers the harmony, there is no assimilation; according to Template:Harvcoltxt (in prep.), the lack of spread is related to the fact that groups of pronouns generate a secondary accent, which would protect the original quality of the vowel.

Template:Harvcoltxt also reports some examples of rightward (regressive) assimilation between weak elements; that is, cases where an unstressed sequence i...e becomes i...i. Harmony to the right is documented only between vowels that are in pretonic position; therefore, the inflectional elements and the post-tonic vowels belonging to the radical are excluded from the change.

General Valencian is another variety in which the extension of features is limited to the main metric foot: in plain words, the final post-tonic, which is part of the main foot, is affected by harmony a); on the other hand, in proparoxytone words (esdrúixoles) the final does not belong to the main foot and is, therefore, beyond the scope of assimilation b). In Valencian from the south of Alicante, the harmony affects an intermediate layer between the main metrical foot and the clitic group: the prosodic word (PPr) (cfr. Template:Harvcoltxt, Template:Harvcoltxt, Template:Harvcoltxt).

Harmony in General Valencian:

a)

Example	IPA	Translation
afecta	Template:IPA	'affects'
granota	Template:IPA	'frog'

b)

Example	IPA	Translation
mèdica	Template:IPA	'medic', f.
ròtula	Template:IPA	'kneecap'

Harmony from Southern Valencian (Alicante):

a)

Example	IPA	Translation
afecta	Template:IPA	'affects'
granota	Template:IPA	'frog'

In the harmony of Valencian, Majorcan and, mostly, Tortosan, the features extend from a strong element to a weak element. In the other possible model, on the other hand, the features are spread in the reverse direction, that is, from positions that are not prominent to positions that are stronger from the perceptual point of view. The trigger for change is in this case a weak element (cf. Template:Harvcoltxt). Central Catalan provides an example of harmony—with considerable geographical and idiolectal variation—conditioned by segments located in weak positions. In this dialect, stressed mid vowels in words from other languages tend to be adapted as open mids, as in the paroxytones in example a), with regular reduction in the unstressed syllable, that is, with the vowels Template:IPA, Template:IPA and Template:IPA in this position. Borrowings also have the peculiarity that they tend to block the neutralization of the unstressed middle vowels e and o, which are realized as Template:IPA and Template:IPA, respectively. In principle, these two trends should not be mutually exclusive; however, if the post-tonic sound is close-mid, the tonic mids are usually also realized as close, as shown by the plain words in example b), in which the levelling between the two vowels is almost universal. Therefore, the quality of the most prominent vowel is determined by the features of the following vowel, since the appearance of close-mid vowels in tonic position depends on the presence of vowels of the same pitch in the post-tonic syllable.

a)

Example	IPA	Translation
Creta	Template:IPA	'Crete'
euro	Template:IPA	'Euro'
Betty	Template:IPA	'Betty'
Rodes	Template:IPA	'Rhodes'
poli	Template:IPA	'cop'
gnosi	Template:IPA	'gnosis'

b)

Example	IPA	Translation
Lesbos	Template:IPA	'Lesbos'
euro	Template:IPA	'Euro'
Bette	Template:IPA	'Bette'
Rodos	Template:IPA	'Rodos'
polo	Template:IPA	'polo'
Cnossos	Template:IPA	'Knossos'

In proparoxytones there is greater variability. In the variety analyzed by Template:Harvcoltxt esdrúixol words (i.e. words with stressed on the antepenultimate syllable) are generally subject to the same restrictions and the presence of a close mid in post-tonic position implies the presence of close mids in tonic position a); the syllabic adjacency between the two vowels is key to harmony, since words like Sòcrates Template:IPA or Hèrcules Template:IPA are usually presented without assimilation despite the presence of an unreduced post-tonic e. In the variety described by Template:Harvcoltxt, on the other hand, post-tonic vowels do not condition the realization of the tonic vowel in esdrúixols b). On the other hand, and in accordance with the interpretation of the aforementioned authors, the adaptation of tonic vowels as open mids is compatible in all varieties with the appearance of unreduced mid vowels in pre-tonic syllables.

a)

Example	IPA	Translation
Jespersen	Template:IPA	'Jespersen'
Penèlope	Template:IPA	'Penelope'
Hölderlin	Template:IPA	'Hölderlin'

b)

Example	IPA	Translation
Jespersen	Template:IPA	'Jespersen'
Penèlope	Template:IPA	'Penelope'
Sòfocles	Template:IPA	'Sophocles'

Other harmony examples in Central Catalan:

Example	IPA
Everest	Template:IPA
Interpol	Template:IPA

Example	IPA
OPEC	Template:IPA
Repsol	Template:IPA

Example	IPA
Flaubert	Template:IPA
Montessori	Template:IPA

Vowels in contact

One of the most unique features of Catalan and Valencian is the treatment of vowels that come into contact within the speech chain. When a word-final vowel meets an initial vowel there are two possible reactions: lengthening (if both vowels are the same)Template:Sfn or weakening/elision of one of the vowels (if they are different).Template:Sfn In general terms, two consecutive vowels diphthongize more frequently in Valencian, North Western Catalan and Alguerese.Template:Sfn Some examples (in Valencian):

Lengthening

• Unstressed Template:IPA followed by Template:IPA, e.g. platges i illots Template:IPA ('beaches and islets').
• Unstressed Template:IPA followed by Template:IPA, e.g. escrit o oral? Template:IPA ('written or oral?').

Elision

• Unstressed Template:IPA followed by stressed Template:IPA → Template:IPA, e.g. quina hora és? Template:IPA or Template:IPA ('what time is it?').
• Stressed Template:IPA followed by unstressed Template:IPA → Template:IPA, e.g. mà esquerra Template:IPA or Template:IPA ('left hand').
• Unstressed Template:IPA followed by unstressed Template:IPA → Template:IPA, e.g. agarra el gos Template:IPA ('take the dog').
• Stressed Template:IPA followed by stressed Template:IPA → Template:IPA, e.g. què has fet? Template:IPA ('what have you done?').
• Unstressed Template:IPA followed by Template:IPA → Template:IPA, e.g. este home Template:IPA ('this man').
• Stressed Template:IPA followed by unstressed Template:IPA → Template:IPA, e.g. no els volen Template:IPA ('they don't want them').

Diphthongs and triphthongs

There are also a number of phonetic diphthongs and triphthongs, all of which begin and/or end in Template:IPAblink or Template:IPAblink.Template:Sfn

Falling diphthongs
IPA	word	gloss	IPA	word	gloss
Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'water'	Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'table'
Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W)	Template:Lang	'children'	Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W)	Template:Lang	'we will fall'
Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'oleic'	Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'foot'
Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'king'	Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'his/her'
Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W)	Template:Lang	'Ibiza'	Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W)	Template:Lang	'euphemism'
Template:IPATemplate:Efn-lr (B)	Template:Lang	'bridegroom'	Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'nest'
Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'hero'	Template:IPATemplate:Efn-lr	Template:Lang	'new'
Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W)	Template:Lang / Template:Lang	'Moses'	Template:IPATemplate:Efn-lr	Template:Lang, Template:Lang	'you are', 'I will move'
Template:IPATemplate:Efn-lr	Template:Lang	'cooked'	Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'he or she carries'
Rising diphthongs
IPA	word	gloss	IPA	word	gloss
Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'grandpa'	Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'glove'
Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W)	Template:Lang	'he or she was doing'	Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W)	Template:Lang	'watercolour'
Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'Aielo'	Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'sequence'
Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'seat'	Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'ointment'
Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W)	Template:Lang	'Laietani'	Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W)	Template:Lang	'question'
			Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'penguin'
Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'iodine'	Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'payment'
Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W)	Template:Lang	'yoghurt'	Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'greasy'
Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'Yugoslav'
Triphthongs
IPA	word	gloss	IPA	word	gloss
Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'old person'	Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'Alguaire'
			Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W)	Template:Lang	'to observe, look'
Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W)	Template:Lang	'you see'	Template:IPATemplate:Efn-lr (E) / Template:IPA (W)	Template:Lang	'you adequate'
Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W)	Template:Lang	'you were saying'

In Standard Eastern Catalan, rising diphthongs (that is, those starting with Template:IPA or Template:IPA) are only possible in the following contexts:Template:Sfn

• Template:IPA in word-initial position, e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA ('yoghurt').
• The semivowel (Template:IPA or Template:IPA) occurs between vowels as in Template:Lang Template:IPA ('he or she was doing') or Template:Lang Template:IPA ('they say').
• In the sequences Template:IPA or Template:IPA plus vowel, e.g. Template:Lang ('glove'), Template:Lang ('quota'), Template:Lang ('question'), Template:Lang ('penguin'); these exceptional cases even lead some scholarsTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn to hypothesize the existence of rare labiovelar phonemes Template:IPA and Template:IPA.Template:Sfn

Processes

There are certain instances of compensatory diphthongization in Majorcan so that Template:Lang Template:IPA ('logs') (in addition to deleting the palatal stop) develops a compensating palatal glide and surfaces as Template:IPA (and contrasts with the unpluralized Template:IPA). Diphthongization compensates for the loss of the palatal stop (segment loss compensation). There are other cases where diphthongization compensates for the loss of point of articulation features (property loss compensation) as in Template:IPA ('year') vs. Template:IPA ('years').Template:Sfn

The dialectal distribution of compensatory diphthongization is almost entirely dependent on the dorsal stop (Template:IPA) and the extent of consonant assimilation (whether or not it is extended to palatals).Template:Sfn

Voiced affricates are devoiced after stressed vowels in dialects like Eastern Catalan where there may be a correlation between devoicing and lengthening (gemination) of voiced affricates: Template:Lang Template:IPA → Template:IPA ('medic').Template:Sfn In Barcelona, voiced stops may be fortified (geminated and devoiced); e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA 'village, people').Template:Sfn

In (Majorcan) Catalan is known the historical process of erasing the vowel (the nucleus) of unstressed final syllables. Template:Harvcoltxt (cited by Template:Harvcoltxt) and Template:Harvcoltxt, have proposed similar theories, in that one or more 'extrasyllabic' final consonants represent the opening of a syllable with null vowel (Burzio) or empty nucleus (Kaye). However, in the case of Catalan, such a structure is fundamentally the one that has been proposed (e.g. in Template:Harvcoltxt) to trigger vowel epenthesis in cases such as the followings:Template:Sfn

• Template:Lang Template:IPA → Template:IPA ('I wide')
• Template:Lang Template:IPA → Template:IPA ('I ?')
• Template:Lang Template:IPA → Template:IPA ('I stake', Template:Abbr)
• Template:Lang Template:IPA → Template:IPA ('I run')

Assimilations

Nasal			Lateral
IPA	word	gloss	IPA	word	gloss
Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'lowest'
Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'previous'	Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'tall' (f. pl.)
Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'to start (up)'	Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'decisive'
Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'angle'
Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'he or she bleeds'
Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'week'
Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'rind'	Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'Bethlehem'
			Template:IPA	Template:Lang	'roll'

Catalan denti-alveolar stops can fully assimilate to the following consonant, producing gemination; this is particularly evident before nasal and lateral consonants: e.g. Template:Lang ('week'), Template:Lang ('rind'), Template:Lang, Template:Lang ('roll'). Learned words can alternate between featuring and not featuring such assimilation (e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) 'atlas', Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) 'to submit', Template:Lang Template:IPA ~ Template:IPA 'ethnic').Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

There is dialectal variation regarding words with Template:Angbr. While Central and North-Western Catalan tend to innovate with a palatalized pronunciation Template:IPA, Valencian and Balearic maintain the traditional pronunciation without palatalization Template:IPA, i.e. Template:Angbr, in most cases (e.g. Template:Lang vs Template:Lang 'almond').

Valencian dialects (especially Central Valencian) features simple elision in many of these cases (e.g Template:Lang Template:IPA 'week', Template:Lang Template:IPA 'roll') and learned words might not exhibit either assimilation or elision: Template:Lang Template:IPA and Template:Lang Template:IPA.Template:Sfn

Prosody

Stress

Stress most often occurs on any of the last three syllables of a word (e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) 'compass', Template:Lang Template:IPA 'punishment', Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) 'fool').

Compound words and adverbs formed with Template:IPA may have a syllable with secondary stress (e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) Template:IPA (W) 'willingly'; Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) Template:IPA (W) 'lightning conductor') but every lexical word has just one syllable with main stress.Template:Sfn

Phonotactics

The structure of the syllable shows a mandatory nucleus, and the optional presence of a margin before and/or behind the nucleus. Core and margin contrast articulatory due to the fact that the core is emitted with a higher degree of oral opening than the margin. In Catalan and Valencian, the core position is occupied by a vowel and the margin position by one or more consonants. Depending on the number of consonants that make up the margin and the location of the margin in relation to the core, syllabic structures of the type V, CV, VC, CVC, CCV, CCVC, CCVCC, VCC, VCCC, CVCC, CVCCC, etc. are possible. The margin that precedes the nucleus is called "explosive", and the one that follows it, "implosive", syllables can be classified as "open" or "closed" by virtue of the absence or presence of a margin postnuclear, respectively.Template:Sfn

Any consonant, as well as Template:IPA and Template:IPA may be an onset. Clusters may consist of a consonant plus a semivowel (CTemplate:IPA, CTemplate:IPA) or an obstruent plus a liquid. Some speakers may have one of these obstruent-plus-liquid clusters preceding a semivowel, e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA ('watermelon'); for other speakers, this is pronounced Template:IPA (i.e. the semivowel must be syllabic in this context).Template:Sfn

Word-medial codas are restricted to one consonant + Template:IPA (Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W)).Template:Sfn In the coda position, voice contrasts among obstruents are neutralized.Template:Sfn Although there are exceptions (such as Template:Lang Template:IPA 'future'), syllable-final rhotics are often lost before a word boundary or before the plural morpheme of most words: Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) ('color') vs. Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) ('bright color').Template:Sfn

In Central Eastern (and North-Western Catalan), obstruents fail to surface word-finally when preceded by a homorganic consonant (e.g. Template:IPA). Complex codas simplify only if the loss of the segment doesn't result in the loss of place specification.Template:Sfn

Suffixation examples in Central Eastern and North-Western Catalan varieties

	Final		gloss	Internal		gloss
no cluster	Template:Lang	Template:IPA	'field'	Template:Lang	Template:IPA (EC) Template:IPA (NW)	'peasant'
	Template:Lang	Template:IPA	'point'	Template:Lang	Template:IPA (EC) Template:IPA (NW)	'tip'
	Template:Lang	Template:IPA	'bank'	Template:Lang	Template:IPA (EC) Template:IPA (NW)	'banking'
	Template:Lang	Template:IPA (EC) Template:IPA (NW)	'ill'	Template:Lang	Template:IPA (EC) Template:IPA (NW)	'illness'
	Template:Lang	Template:IPA	'orchard'	Template:Lang	Template:IPA(EC) Template:IPA (NW)	'vegetable'
	Template:Lang	Template:IPA	'taste'	Template:Lang	Template:IPA	'to taste'
cluster	Template:Lang	Template:IPA	'snake'	Template:Lang	Template:IPA (EC) Template:IPA (NW)	'snake-like'
	Template:Lang	Template:IPA	'disk'	Template:Lang	Template:IPA (EC) Template:IPA (NW)	'diskette'
	Template:Lang	Template:IPA (EC) Template:IPA (NW)	'trailer'	Template:Lang	Template:IPA (NE) Template:IPA (NW)	'to tow'

When the suffix Template:Lang Template:IPA is added to Template:Lang Template:IPA it makes Template:IPA, indicating that the underlying representation is Template:IPA (with subsequent cluster simplification), however when the copula Template:IPA is added it makes Template:IPA. The resulting generalization is that this underlying Template:IPA will only surface in a morphologically complex word.Template:Sfn Despite this, word-final codas are not usually simplified in most of Balearic and Valencian (e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA).Template:Sfn

Word-initial clusters from Graeco-Latin learned words tend to drop the first phoneme: Template:Lang Template:IPA ('gnome'), Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) ('mnemotechnical'), Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) ('pneumatic'), Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) ('pseudonym'), Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) ('pterodactylus').Template:Sfn

Word-final obstruents are devoiced; however, they assimilate voicing of the following consonant, e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) ('silkworm'). In regular and fast speech, stops often assimilate the place of articulation of the following consonant producing phonetic gemination: Template:Lang Template:IPA ('all good').Template:Sfn

Word-final fricatives (except Template:IPA) are voiced before a following vowel; e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) / Template:IPA (W) ('huge bus').Template:Sfn

The preposition amb ('with') in Central Catalan is usually pronounced Template:IPA, but in careful speech when it is before a vowel sound or an Template:IPA is pronounced Template:IPA.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Dialectal variation

File:Catalan dialects-en.png

Dialectal Map of CatalanTemplate:Sfn
Eastern dialects: Template:Legend Template:Legend Template:Legend Western dialects: Template:Legend Template:Legend

The differences in the vocalic systems outlined above are the main criteria used to differentiate between the major dialects: Wheeler distinguishes two major dialect groups, western and eastern dialects; the latter of which only allow Template:IPAblink, Template:IPAblink, and Template:IPAblink to appear in unstressed syllables and include Northern Catalan, Central Catalan, Balearic, and Alguerese. Western dialects, which allow any vowel in unstressed syllables, include Valencian and North-Western Catalan.Template:Sfn

Regarding consonants, betacism and fricative–affricate alternations are the most prominent differences between dialects.

Other dialectal features are:

Vowels

• In a number of dialects unstressed Template:IPA can merge with Template:IPA (Eastern dialects) or Template:IPA (Western dialects) according to the previous or following vowel (i.e. through assimilation when these vowels are high or dissimilation when they are mid or low). This merger is especially common in words with the prefix Template:Lang or Template:Lang.Template:Sfn
• In Southern Valencian subvarieties, especially in Alicante Valencian, the diphthong Template:IPA (phonetically Template:IPA in Valencian) has become Template:IPA: Template:Lang Template:IPA ('bulls').Template:Sfn
• In regular speech in both Eastern and Western Catalan dialects, word-initial unstressed Template:IPA—Template:IPA or Template:IPA—may be diphthongized to Template:IPA (Eastern Catalan) or Template:IPA (Western Catalan): Template:Lang Template:IPA (E) Template:IPA (W) 'to drown, suffocate'.Template:Sfn

Consonants

• Varying degrees of L-velarization among dialects: Template:IPA is dark irrespective of position in Balearic and Central Catalan and might tend to vocalization in some cases. In Western varieties like Valencian, this dark l contrasts with a clear l in intervocalic and word-initial position; while in other dialects, like Alguerese or Northern Catalan, Template:IPA is never velarized in any instance.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
• Template:Lang (also known as Template:Lang "historic Template:Lang") in regular speech in most of Majorcan, Northern Catalan and in the historic comarca of Vallès (Barcelona), Latin-derived words that had intervocalic Template:IPA + yod (-Template:Sc-, -Template:Sc-) or velar + Template:IPA (-Template:Sc-, -Template:Sc-) developed Template:IPA (e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA 'straw') from Latin Template:Sc), rather than Template:IPA as in the majority of other regions. Accents with traditional ieisme use Template:IPA only in words where this sound developed from Latin initial Template:Sc- (as in Template:Lang Template:IPA 'moon') or intervocalic -Template:Sc- (as in Template:Lang Template:IPA 'she').Template:Sfn
• In northern and transitional Valencian, word-initial and postconsonantal Template:IPA (Eastern Catalan Template:IPA and Template:IPA) alternates with Template:IPA intervocalically; e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA 'game', but Template:Lang Template:IPA 'worse', Template:Lang Template:IPA 'crazy' (Standard Valencian Template:IPA, Template:IPA; Template:IPA; Standard Catalan Template:IPA, Template:IPA and Template:IPA).Template:Sfn
• In northern Valencia and southern Catalonia Template:IPA has merged with realizations of Template:IPA after a high front vocoid; e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA ('pottery'), Template:Lang Template:IPA ('I insist') vs. Template:Lang Template:IPA ('to pee'), Template:Lang Template:IPA ('to leave'). In these varieties Template:IPA is not found after other voiced consonants, and merges with Template:IPA after consonants; e.g. Template:Lang Template:IPA ('thorn').Template:Sfn
• In some Valencian dialects (e.g. Northern Valencian), Template:IPA and Template:IPA are auditorily similar such that neutralization may occur in the future.Template:Sfn That is the case of Northern Valencian where Template:IPA is depalatalizedTemplate:Clarify to Template:IPA as in Template:Lang ('box'). Central Valencian words like Template:Lang ('half') and Template:Lang ('ugly') have been transcribed with Template:IPA rather than the expected Template:IPA, and Southern Valencian Template:IPA "has been reported to undergo depalatalization without merging with Template:IPA",Template:Sfn as in Template:Lang ('small steps') vs. Template:Lang ('stroll, avenue')

Historical development

Catalan shares features with neighboring Romance languages (Occitan, Italian, Sardinian, French, Spanish).Template:Sfn

• Marked contrast of the vowel pairs Template:IPA and Template:IPA, as in other Western Romance languages, except Spanish and Sardinian.Template:Sfn
• Lenition of voiced stops Template:IPA as in Galician and Spanish.Template:Sfn
• Lack of diphthongization of Latin short Template:Lang, Template:Lang, as in Galician, Sardinian and Portuguese, and unlike French, Spanish and Italian.Template:Sfn
• Abundance of diphthongs containing Template:IPA, as in Galician and Portuguese.Template:Sfn
• Abundance of Template:IPA and Template:IPA occurring at the end of words, as for instance Template:Wikt-lang ("wet") and Template:Wikt-lang ("year"), unlike Spanish,Template:Sfn Portuguese or Italian.

In contrast with many other Romance languages, Catalan has many monosyllabic words; and those ending in a wide variety of consonants and some consonant clusters.Template:Sfn Also, Catalan has final obstruent devoicing, thus featuring many couplets like Template:Lang ('male friend') vs. Template:Lang ('female friend').Template:Sfn

Phonological sample

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1

Original	Template:Lang
Majorcan (Balearic) Catalan IPA	Template:IPA ‖ Template:IPA | Template:IPA
Eastern Central Catalan IPA	Template:IPA ‖ Template:IPA | Template:IPA
Northern Catalan IPA	Template:IPA ‖ Template:IPA | Template:IPA
North-Western Catalan IPA	Template:IPA ‖ Template:IPA | Template:IPA
Valencian IPA	Template:IPA ‖ Template:IPA | Template:IPA

See also

• Catalan dialects and varieties
  • Alguerese § Phonology
  • Balearic § Phonology
  • Valencian § Phonology
• Occitan phonology
• Index of phonetics articles

Bibliography

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Others

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External links

• A proposal for Catalan SAMPA
• Els sons del català Template:In lang