Editing Catalan language (section)

=== Pronunciation {{Anchor|Dialect pronunciation section}} ===

==== Vowels ====
Catalan has inherited the typical vowel system of [[Vulgar Latin]], with seven stressed phonemes: {{IPA|/a, ɛ, e, i, ɔ, o, u/}}, a common feature in [[Western Romance languages|Western Romance]], except [[Spanish language|Spanish]].{{sfn|Enciclopèdia Catalana|p=630}} [[Balearic dialect|Balearic]] has also instances of stressed {{IPA|/ə/}}.{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|pages=37, 53–54}} Dialects differ in the different degrees of [[vowel reduction]],{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|p=37}} and the incidence of the pair {{IPA|/ɛ e/}}.{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|p=38}}

In [[Eastern Catalan]] (except Majorcan), unstressed vowels reduce to three: {{IPA|/a, e, ɛ/ > [ə]}}; {{IPA|/o, ɔ, u/ > [u]}}; {{IPA|/i/}} remains distinct.{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|p=54}} There are a few instances of unreduced {{IPA|[e]}}, {{IPA|[o]}} in some words.{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|p=54}} [[Algherese dialect|Algherese]] has lowered {{IPA|[ə]}} to {{IPA|[a]}}.

In Majorcan, unstressed vowels reduce to four: {{IPA|/a, e, ɛ/}} follow the Eastern Catalan reduction pattern; however {{IPA|/o, ɔ/}} reduce to {{IPA|[o]}}, with {{IPA|/u/}} remaining distinct, as in Western Catalan.{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|pages=53–54}}

In [[Western Catalan]], unstressed vowels reduce to five: {{IPA|/e, ɛ/ > [e]}}; {{IPA|/o, ɔ/ > [o]}}; {{IPA|/a, u, i/}} remain distinct.{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|p=53}}{{sfn|Carbonell|Llisterri|1999|pp=54–55<!-- seems to be wrong page number: this page relates to Arabic according to Google Books -->}} This reduction pattern, inherited from [[Proto-Romance]], is also found in [[Italian language|Italian]] and [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]].{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|p=53}} Some Western dialects present further reduction or vowel harmony in some cases.{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|p=53}}{{sfn|Recasens|1996|pp=75–76, 128–129}}

Central, Western, and Balearic differ in the lexical incidence of stressed {{IPA|/e/}} and {{IPA|/ɛ/}}.{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|p=38}} Usually, words with {{IPA|/ɛ/}} in Central Catalan correspond to {{IPA|/ə/}} in Balearic and {{IPA|/e/}} in Western Catalan.{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|p=38}} Words with {{IPA|/e/}} in Balearic almost always have {{IPA|/e/}} in Central and Western Catalan as well.{{vague|date=April 2014}}{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|p=38}} As a result, Central Catalan has a much higher incidence of {{IPA|/ɛ/}}.{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|p=38}}

{|
|
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Different incidence of stressed {{IPA|/e/}}, {{IPA|/ə/}}, {{IPA|/ɛ/}}{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|p=38}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | Word !! colspan="2" | Western !! colspan="3" | Eastern
|-
! North-Western !! Valencian !! Majorcan !! Central !! Northern
|-
| '''{{lang|ca|set}}''' <br /> ("thirst")
| colspan="2" | {{IPA|/ˈset/}} || {{IPA|/ˈsət/}} || {{IPA|/ˈsɛt/}} || {{IPA|/ˈset/}}
|-
| '''{{lang|ca|ven}}''' <br /> ("he sells")
| colspan="2" | {{IPA|/ˈven/}} || {{IPA|/ˈvən/}} || {{IPA|/ˈbɛn/}} || {{IPA|/ˈven/}}
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+ General differences in the pronunciation of unstressed vowels in different dialects{{sfn|Feldhausen|2010|p=5}}{{sfn|Melchor|Branchadell|2002|p=71}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | Word !! colspan="2" | Western !! colspan="4" | Eastern
|-
! North-Western !! Valencian !! Majorcan !! Central !! Northern
|-
| '''{{lang|ca|mare}}''' <br /> ("mother") || colspan="2" | {{IPA|/ˈmaɾe/}} || colspan="3" | {{IPA|/ˈmaɾə/}}
|-
| '''{{lang|ca|cançó}}''' <br /> ("song") || colspan="2" | {{IPA|/kanˈso/}} || colspan="2" | {{IPA|/kənˈso/}} || {{IPA|/kənˈsu/}}
|-
| '''{{lang|ca|posar}}''' <br /> ("to put") || colspan="3" | {{IPA|/poˈza(ɾ)/}} || colspan="2" | {{IPA|/puˈza(ɾ)/}}
|-
| '''{{lang|ca|ferro}}''' <br /> ("iron") || colspan="3" | {{IPA|/ˈfɛro/}} || colspan="2" | {{IPA|/ˈfɛru/}}
|}
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Detailed examples of vowel reduction processes in different dialects{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|pages=53–55}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | !! rowspan="2" | Word pairs:<br />the first with stressed root,<br />the second with unstressed root !! rowspan="2" | Western !! colspan="3" | Eastern
|-
! Majorcan !! Central !! Northern
|-
! rowspan="4" | Front <br /> vowels
| '''{{lang|ca|gel}}''' ("ice") <br /> '''{{lang|ca|gelat}}''' ("ice cream")
| style="background:#f2cee0;"| {{IPA|[ˈdʒɛl]}} <br /> {{IPA|[dʒeˈlat]}} || colspan="2" style="background:#cef2da;"| {{IPA|[ˈʒɛl]}} <br /> {{IPA|[ʒəˈlat]}} || style="background:#fafad2;"| {{IPA|[ˈʒel]}} <br /> {{IPA|[ʒəˈlat]}}
|-
| '''{{lang|ca|pera}}''' ("pear") <br /> '''{{lang|ca|perera}}''' ("pear tree")
| style="background:#f2cee0;"| {{IPA|[ˈpeɾa]}} <br /> {{IPA|[peˈɾeɾa]}} || style="background:#cef2da;"| {{IPA|[ˈpəɾə]}} <br /> {{IPA|[pəˈɾeɾə]}} || style="background:#cef2da;"| {{IPA|[ˈpɛɾə]}} <br /> {{IPA|[pəˈɾeɾə]}} || style="background:#fafad2;"|{{IPA|[ˈpeɾə]}}<br />{{IPA|[pəˈɾeɾə]}}
|-
| '''{{lang|ca|pedra}}''' ("stone") <br /> '''{{lang|ca|pedrera}}''' ("quarry")
| style="background:#f2cee0;"| {{IPA|[ˈpeðɾa]}} <br /> {{IPA|[peˈðɾeɾa]}} || colspan="3" style="background:#cef2da;"|{{IPA|[ˈpeðɾə]}} <br /> {{IPA|[pəˈðɾeɾə]}}
|-
| '''{{lang|ca|banya}}''' ("he bathes") <br /> '''{{lang|ca|banyem}}'''/{{lang|ca|'''banyam'''}} ("we bathe")
| style="background:#f2cee0;"| {{IPA|[ˈbaɲa]}} <br /> {{IPA|[baˈɲem]}} || style="background:#cef2da;"| {{IPA|[ˈbaɲə]}} <br /> {{IPA|[bəˈɲam]}} || style="background:#cef2da;"| {{IPA|[ˈbaɲə]}} <br /> {{IPA|[bəˈɲɛm]}} || style="background:#fafad2;"| {{IPA|[ˈbaɲə]}} <br /> {{IPA|[bəˈɲem]}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | Back <br /> vowels
| '''{{lang|ca|cosa}}''' ("thing") <br /> '''{{lang|ca|coseta}}''' ("little thing")
| style="background:#f2cee0;"| {{IPA|[ˈkɔza]}} <br /> {{IPA|[koˈzeta]}} || style="background:#f2cee0;"| {{IPA|[ˈkɔzə]}} <br /> {{IPA|[koˈzətə]}} || style="background:#cef2da;"| {{IPA|[ˈkɔzə]}} <br /> {{IPA|[kuˈzɛtə]}} || style="background:#fafad2;"| {{IPA|[ˈkozə]}} <br /> {{IPA|[kuˈzetə]}}
|-
| '''{{lang|ca|tot}}''' ("everything") <br /> '''{{lang|ca|total}}''' ("total")
| colspan="2" style="background:#f2cee0;"| {{IPA|[ˈtot]}} <br /> {{IPA|[toˈtal]}} || style="background:#cef2da;"| {{IPA|[ˈtot]}} <br /> {{IPA|[tuˈtal]}} || style="background:#fafad2;"| {{IPA|[ˈtut]}} <br /> {{IPA|[tuˈtal]}}
|}

==== Consonants ====
Catalan dialects are characterized by [[final-obstruent devoicing]], [[lenition]] and [[voicing assimilation]]. Additionally, many dialects contrast two [[rhotic consonant|rhotics]] ({{IPA|/r, ɾ/}}) and two [[lateral consonant|laterals]] ({{IPA|/l, ʎ/}}).

Most Catalan dialects are also renowned by the usage of ''[[dark l]]'' (i.e. [[velarization]] of {{IPA|/l/}} → {{IPAblink|ɫ}}), which is especially noticeable in syllable [[syllabic coda|final]] position, in comparison to neighbouring languages, such as Spanish, Italian and French (that lack this pronunciation).

There is dialectal variation in regard to:
* The pronunciation and distribution of [[sibilant]]s (with different results according to [[voicing (phonetics)|voicing]] and [[affrication]] vs. [[lenition|deaffrication]]).
** While, arguably there are seven to eight sibilants in Standard Catalan and Standard Valencian, dialects like Central Valencian and Ribagorçan only have three or four.
* The usage of the voiced labiodental fricative phoneme {{IPAslink|v}}.
* The pronunciation or not of [[yod (sound)|yod]] ({{IPAslink|j}}) in the digraph {{angbr|ix}}.
* The [[elision]] and pronunciation of final [[rhotic consonant|rhotics]] (either {{IPAslink|ɾ}} or {{IPAslink|r}}).
* The [[delateralization]] of the palatal lateral approximant ({{IPAslink|ʎ}}).
* The alternation of [[lenition]] vs. [[fortition]] (such as {{IPA|/b/}} in {{lang|ca|po'''b'''le}} 'village, people' → {{IPA|[β]}} vs. {{IPA|[b]}} vs. {{IPA|[bː]}} vs. {{IPA|[p]}} vs. {{IPA|[pː]}}).