Editing Basque language (section)

==== Palatalization ====
Basque has two types of [[palatalization (sound change)|palatalization]], automatic palatalization and expressive palatalization. Automatic palatalization occurs in western [[Labourd]], much of [[Navarre]], all of [[Gipuzkoa]], and nearly all of [[Biscay]]. As a result of automatic palatalization, {{IPA|/n/}} and {{IPA|/l/}} become the [[palatal nasal]] {{IPA|[ɲ]}} and the [[palatal lateral]] {{IPA|[ʎ]}} respectively after the vowel {{IPA|/i/}} and before another vowel. An exception is the loanword {{lang|eu|lili}} 'lily'. The same palatalization occurs after the [[semivowel]] {{IPA|[j]}} of the diphthongs ''ai, ei, oi, ui''. This palatalization occurs in a wider area, including [[Soule]], all of Gipuzkoa and Biscay, and almost all of Navarre. In a few regions, {{IPA|/n/}} and {{IPA|/l/}} can be palatalized even in the absence of a following vowel. After palatalization, the semivowel {{IPA|[j]}} is usually absorbed by the palatal consonant. This can be seen in older spellings, such as {{lang|eu|malla}} instead of modern {{lang|eu|maila}} 'degree'. That said, the modern orthography for Standard Basque ignores automatic palatalization.{{sfn|de Rijk|2008|p=13}}

In certain regions of Gipuzkoa and Biscay, intervocalic {{IPA|/t/}} is often palatalized after {{IPA|/i/}} and especially {{IPA|[j]}}. It may become indistinguishable from the affricate {{IPA|/tʃ/}},{{sfn|de Rijk|2008|p=14}} spelled {{angbr|tx}}, so {{lang|eu|aita}} 'father' may sound like it were spelled {{lang|eu|atxa}} or {{lang|eu|atta}}.{{sfn|Hualde|Lujanbio|Zubiri|2010|p=119}} This type of palatalization is far from general, and is often viewed as substandard.{{sfn|de Rijk|2008|p=14}}

In [[Goizueta, Navarre|Goizueta]] Basque, there are a few examples of {{IPA|/nt/}} being palatalized after {{IPA|/i/}}, and optional palatalization of {{IPA|/ld/}}. For example, {{lang|eu|mintegi}} 'seedbed' becomes {{IPA|[mincei]}}, and {{lang|eu|bildots}} 'lamb' can be {{IPA|/biʎots̺/}}.{{sfn|Hualde|Lujanbio|Zubiri|2010|p=119}}

Basque nouns, adjectives, and adverbs can be expressively palatalized. These express 'smallness', rarely literal and often showing affection, in nouns, and mitigation in adjectives and adverbs. This is often used in the formation of pet names and nicknames. In words containing one or more sibilant, these sibilants are palatalized in order to form the palatalized form. That is, ''s'' and ''z'' become ''x'', and ''ts'' and ''tz'' become ''tx''. As a result, {{lang|eu|gizon}} 'man' becomes {{lang|eu|gixon}} 'little fellow', {{lang|eu|zoro}} 'crazy, insane' becomes {{lang|eu|xoro}} 'silly, foolish', and {{lang|eu|bildots}} 'lamb' becomes {{lang|eu|bildotx}} 'lambkin, young lamb'.
In words without sibilants, {{IPA|/t/}}, {{IPA|/d/}}, {{IPA|/n/}}, and {{IPA|/l/}} can become palatalized. This palatalization is indicated in writing with a double consonant, except in the case of palatalized {{IPA|/n/}} which is written {{angbr|ñ}}. Thus, {{lang|eu|tanta}} 'drop' becomes {{lang|eu|ttantta}} 'droplet', and {{lang|eu|nabar}} 'grey' becomes {{lang|eu|ñabar}} 'grey and pretty, greyish'.{{sfn|de Rijk|2008|p=14}}

The pronunciation of ''tt'' and ''dd'', and the existence of ''dd'', differ by dialect. In the Gipuzkoan and Biscayan dialects ''tt'' is often pronounced the same as ''tx'', that is, as {{IPAblink|tʃ}}, and ''dd'' does not exist.{{sfn|de Rijk|2008|p=14}} Likewise, in Goizueta Basque, ''tt'' is a [[voiceless palatal stop]] {{IPA|[c]}} and the corresponding voiced palatal stop, {{IPA|[ɟ]}}, is absent except as an allophone of {{IPA|/j/}}. In Goizueta Basque, {{IPA|/j/}} is sometimes the result of an affectionate palatalization of {{IPA|/d/}}.{{sfn|Hualde|Lujanbio|Zubiri|2010|p=113, 119, 121}}

Palatalization of the rhotics is rare and only occurs in the eastern dialects. When palatalized, the rhotics become the palatal lateral {{IPA|[ʎ]}}. Likewise, palatalization of velars, resulting in ''tt'' or ''tx'', is quite rare.{{sfn|de Rijk|2008|p=15}}

A few common words, such as {{lang|eu|txakur}} 'dog', pronounced {{IPA|/tʃakur/}}, use palatal sounds even though in current usage they have lost the diminutive sense, the corresponding non-palatal forms now acquiring an augmentative or pejorative sense: {{lang|eu|zakur}} 'big dog'.{{sfn|de Rijk|2008|p=15}}