Editing Catalan language (section)

==== 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]}}).