Faroese orthography
Template:Short description Template:More citations needed Template:IPA notice Faroese orthography is the method employed to write the Faroese language, using a 29-letter Latin alphabet, although it does not include the letters C, Q, W, X and Z, in keyboard, it includes C, Q, W, X and Z.
Alphabet
The Faroese alphabet consists of 29 letters derived from the Latin script:
- Eth Template:Angbr (Faroese Template:Lang) never appears at the beginning of a word, which means its majuscule form Template:Angbr rarely occurs except in situations where all-capital letters are used, such as on maps.
- Template:Angbr can also be written Template:Angbr in poetic language, such as Template:Lang ('the Faroes'). This has to do with different orthographic traditions (Danish–Norwegian for Template:Angbr and Icelandic for Template:Angbr). Originally, both forms were used, depending on the historical form of the word; Template:Angbr was used when the vowel resulted from I-mutation of Template:IPA while Template:Angbr was used when the vowel resulted from U-mutation of Template:IPA. In handwriting, Template:Angbr is sometimes used.
- While Template:Angbr, Template:Angbr, Template:Angbr, Template:Angbr, and Template:Angbr are not found in the Faroese language, Template:Angbr was known in earlier versions of Hammershaimb's orthography, such as Template:Angbr for Saksun.
- While the Faroese keyboard layout allows one to write in Latin, English, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, etc., the Old Norse and Modern Icelandic letter Template:Angbr is missing. In related Faroese words, it is written as either Template:Angbr or Template:Angbr. If an Icelandic name has to be transcribed, Template:Angbr is common.
Spelling-to-sound correspondence
This section lists Faroese letters and letter combinations and their phonemic representation in the International Phonetic Alphabet.<ref name="thrainsson">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>
Vowels
Faroese vowels may be either long or short, but this distinction is only relevant in stressed syllables: the only unstressed vowels (at least in native words) are Template:IPA. The vowel length is determined by the number of consonants that follow the vowel: if there is only one consonant (i.e., CVCV or CVC# syllable structure), the vowel is long; if there are more than one (CVCCV), counting geminates and pre-aspirated stops as CC, the vowel is short.Template:Sfn In addition to long monophthongs, Faroese also has diphthongs, which are always long. There are, however, some exceptions to the vowel length rule:Template:Sfn
- A vowel is long if it precedes a consonant combination Template:Angbr + Template:Angbr. Examples include Template:Lang, Template:Lang, Template:Lang. The situation is however more complex, as seen below:
- When the second consonant is Template:Angbr, as in Template:Lang, Template:Lang, and Template:Lang, the combination is treated as one sound (see below), and thus the vowel is long. However, the vowel before Template:Angbr is short.
- Template:Angbr is not considered to be a consonant cluster, so the vowel preceding it is short.
- In loanwords before Template:Angbr, the vowel is optionally long.
- The genitive suffix Template:Angbr does not affect the vowel length; e.g., Template:Lang, Template:Lang.
ConsonantsTemplate:Sfn
Glide insertion
Faroese avoids having a hiatus between two vowels by inserting a glide. Orthographically, this is shown in three ways:
- vowel + Template:Angbr + vowel
- vowel + Template:Angbr + vowel
- vowel + vowel
Typically, the first vowel is long and in words with two syllables always stressed, while the second vowel is short and unstressed. In Faroese, short and unstressed vowels can only be Template:IPA.
The value of the glide is determined by the surrounding vowels:
- Template:IPA
- "I-surrounding, type 1" – after Template:Angbr: Template:Lang Template:IPA (to wait), Template:Lang Template:IPA (dead), Template:Lang Template:IPA (sheep)
- "I-surrounding, type 2" – between any vowel (except "u-vowels" Template:Angbr) and Template:Angbr: Template:Lang Template:IPA (ballad), Template:Lang Template:IPA (rage).
- Template:IPA
- "U-surrounding, type 1" – after Template:Angbr: Template:Lang Template:IPA (Odin), Template:Lang Template:IPA (good morning!), Template:Lang Template:IPA (south), Template:Lang Template:IPA (to make a trace).
- Template:IPA
- "U-surrounding, type 2" – between Template:Angbr and Template:Angbr: Template:Lang Template:IPA (before), Template:Lang Template:IPA (leather), Template:Lang Template:IPA (in clothes), Template:Lang Template:IPA (in newspapers).
- "A-surrounding, type 2"
- These are exceptions (there is also a regular pronunciation): Template:Lang Template:IPA (eider-duck).
- The past participles always have Template:IPA: Template:Lang Template:IPA (beloved, nom., acc. fem. pl.)
- Silent
- "A-surrounding, type 1" – between Template:Angbr and Template:Angbr and in some words between Template:Angbr and Template:Angle bracket: Template:Lang Template:IPA (to advise), Template:Lang Template:IPA (to gladden, please), Template:Lang Template:IPA (to forebode), Template:Lang Template:IPA (to chant), Template:Lang Template:IPA (to make a speech)
See also
References
Template:Language orthographies