Editing Catalan language (section)

== Writing system ==
{{Main|Catalan orthography}}
[[File:Catalan geminated L in a dictionary.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|The word {{lang|ca|noveŀla}} ("novel") in a dictionary. The geminated L ({{lang|ca|ŀl}}) is a distinctive character used in Catalan.]]
[[File:Billboard in Barcelona (detail).png|thumb|upright=0.8|Billboard in [[Barcelona]] (detail), showing the word {{lang|ca|iŀlusió}} ("illusion")]]

{| class="wikitable" style=" text-align: center;"
! Main forms
| {{lang|ca|[[A]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[a]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[B]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[b]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[C]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[c]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[D]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[d]]|italic=unset}} || colspan="2" | {{lang|ca|[[E]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[e]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[F]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[f]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[G]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[g]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[H]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[h]]|italic=unset}} || colspan="2" | {{lang|ca|[[I]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[i]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[J]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[j]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[K]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[k]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[L]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[l]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[M]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[m]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[N]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[n]]|italic=unset}} || colspan="2" | {{lang|ca|[[O]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[o]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[P]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[p]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[Q]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[q]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[R]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[r]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[S]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[s]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[T]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[t]]|italic=unset}} || colspan="2" | {{lang|ca|[[U]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[u]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[V]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[v]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[W]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[w]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[X]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[x]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[Y]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[y]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[Z]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[z]]|italic=unset}}
|-
! Modified forms
| {{lang|ca|[[À]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[à]]|italic=unset}} || style="background-color:#f0f0f0;" | || {{lang|ca|[[Ç]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[ç]]|italic=unset}} || style="background-color:#f0f0f0;" | || {{lang|ca|[[É]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[é]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[È]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[è]]|italic=unset}} || colspan="3" style="background-color:#f0f0f0;" | || {{lang|ca|[[Í]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[í]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[Ï]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[ï]]|italic=unset}} || colspan="2" style="background-color:#f0f0f0;" | || {{lang|ca|[[Catalan orthography#Punt volat (middot)|ĿL]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[Catalan orthography#Punt volat (middot)|ŀl]]|italic=unset}} || colspan="2" style="background-color:#f0f0f0;" | || {{lang|ca|[[Ó]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[ó]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[Ò]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[ò]]|italic=unset}} || colspan="5" style="background-color:#f0f0f0;" | || {{lang|ca|[[Ú]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[ú]]|italic=unset}} || {{lang|ca|[[Ü]]|italic=unset}} <br /> {{lang|ca|[[ü]]|italic=unset}} || colspan="5" style="background-color:#f0f0f0;" |
|}

Catalan uses the [[Latin script]], with some added symbols and digraphs.{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|p=6}} The [[Catalan orthography]] is systematic and largely phonologically based.{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|p=6}} Standardization of Catalan was among the topics discussed during the First International Congress of the Catalan Language, held in Barcelona October 1906. Subsequently, the Philological Section of the ''Institut d'Estudis Catalans'' (IEC, founded in 1911) published the ''Normes ortogràfiques'' in 1913 under the direction of [[Antoni Maria Alcover]] and [[Pompeu Fabra]]. In 1932, Valencian writers and intellectuals gathered in [[Castelló de la Plana]] to make a formal adoption of the so-called ''[[Normes de Castelló]]'', a set of guidelines following Pompeu Fabra's Catalan language norms.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cUu_apMqBF0C |title=The Architect of Modern Catalan: Selected writings |date=2009 |publisher=John Benjamins Publishing |isbn=978-9027289247 |editor-last=Carreras |editor-first=Joan Costa |language=en |translator-last=Yates |translator-first=Alan}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Pronunciation of Catalan special characters and digraphs{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|p=7}}
|-
! !! Pronunciation !! Usage !! Examples{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|p=7}}
|-
! {{lang|ca|ç}}
| {{IPA|/s/}} || before {{lang|ca|a}}, {{lang|ca|o}} and {{lang|ca|u}}; or final position || {{lang|ca|feliç}} ("happy")
|-
! rowspan="2" | {{lang|ca|gu}}
| {{IPA|/ɡ/}} (phonetically {{IPA|[ɡ ~ ɣ]}}) || before {{lang|ca|i}} and {{lang|ca|e}} || {{lang|ca|guerra}} ("war")
|-
| {{IPA|/ɡw/}} || elsewhere || {{lang|ca|guant}} ("glove")
|-
! {{lang|ca|ig}}
| {{IPA|/t͡ʃ/}} || in final position || {{lang|ca|raig}} ("ray")
|-
! {{lang|ca|ix}}
| {{IPA|/ʃ/}} ({{IPA|[jʃ]}} in most Western dialects) || medially and finally || {{lang|ca|caixa}} ("box")
|-
! {{lang|ca|ll}}
| {{IPA|/ʎ/}} || in any position || {{lang|ca|lloc}} ("place")
|-
! {{lang|ca|ŀl}}
| {{IPA|/lː/}} (normatively, but usually {{IPA|/l/}}) || between vowels || {{lang|ca|noveŀla}} ("novel")
|-
! {{lang|ca|ny}}
| {{IPA|/ɲ/}} || in any position || {{lang|ca|Catalunya}} ("Catalonia")
|-
! rowspan="2" | {{lang|ca|qu}}
| {{IPA|/k/}} || before {{lang|ca|i}} and {{lang|ca|e}} || {{lang|ca|qui}} ("who")
|-
| {{IPA|/kw/}} || before other vowels || {{lang|ca|quatre}} ("four")
|-
! {{lang|ca|rr}}
| {{IPA|/r/}} || between vowels <br /> intervocalic {{lang|ca|r}} is pronounced {{IPA|/ɾ/}} || {{lang|ca|carrer}} ("street") <br /> {{lang|ca|mira}} ("he or she looks")
|-
! {{lang|ca|sc}}
| rowspan="2" | {{IPA|/s/}} || between vowels, before {{lang|ca|i}} and {{lang|ca|e}} || {{lang|ca|ascens}} ("rise")
|-
! {{lang|ca|ss}}
| between vowels <br /> intervocalic {{lang|ca|s}} is pronounced {{IPA|/z/}} || {{lang|ca|grossa}} ("big, {{smallcaps|feminine}}") <br /> {{lang|ca|casa}} ("house")
|-
! {{lang|ca|tg}}
| rowspan="2" | {{IPA|/d͡ʒ/}} || before {{lang|ca|i}} and {{lang|ca|e}} || {{lang|ca|fetge}} ("liver")
|-
! {{lang|ca|tj}}
| elsewhere || {{lang|ca|mitjó}} ("sock")
|-
! {{lang|ca|ts}}
| {{IPA|/t͡s/}} || in any position || {{lang|ca|potser}} ("maybe")
|-
! {{lang|ca|tx}}
| {{IPA|/t͡ʃ/}} || in any position || {{lang|ca|despatx}} ("office")
|-
! {{lang|ca|tz}}
| {{IPA|/d͡z/}} || mainly word medially || {{lang|ca|dotze}} ("twelve")
|-
| colspan="4" style="border-left: #fff solid 1px; border-right:  #fff solid 1px" | &nbsp;
|-
! !! Pronunciation !! Usage !! Examples
|-
! {{lang|ca|ch}}
| {{IPA|/k/}} || in final position || {{lang|ca|Llach}} ("Llach")
|-
! {{lang|ca|kh}}
| {{IPA|/x/}} || in any position || {{lang|ca|sikh}} ("sikh")
|-
! {{lang|ca|th}}
| {{IPA|/θ/}} || in any position <br /> {{IPA|/t/}} in native words || {{lang|ca|theta}} ("theta") <br /> {{lang|ca|tothom}} ("everybody")
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Letters and digraphs with contextually conditioned pronunciations{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|p=7}}
|-
! !! Notes !! Examples{{sfn|Wheeler|2005|p=7}}
|-
! {{lang|ca|c}}
| {{IPA|/s/}} before {{lang|ca|i}} and {{lang|ca|e}} <br /> corresponds to {{lang|ca|ç}} in other contexts || {{lang|ca|feliç}} ("happy, {{smallcaps|masculine singular}}") vs. {{lang|ca|felices}} ("happy, {{smallcaps|feminine plural}}")<br />{{lang|ca|caço}} ("I hunt") vs. {{lang|ca|caces}} ("you hunt")
|-
! rowspan="2" | {{lang|ca|g}}
| {{IPA|/ʒ/}} before {{lang|ca|e}} and {{lang|ca|i}} <br /> corresponds to {{lang|ca|j}} in other positions || {{lang|ca|envejar}} ("to envy") vs. {{lang|ca|envegen}} ("they envy")
|-
| final {{lang|ca|g}} before {{lang|ca|i}} and final {{lang|ca|ig}} before other vowels are pronounced {{IPA|[tʃ]}} <br /> corresponds to {{lang|ca|j}}~{{lang|ca|g}} or {{lang|ca|tj}}~{{lang|ca|tg}} in other positions || {{lang|ca|desig}} ("wish") vs. {{lang|ca|desitjar}} ("to wish") vs. {{lang|ca|desitgem}} ("we wish"), exception: {{lang|ca|càstig}} ("punishment"), pronounced with {{IPA|/k/}} <br /> {{lang|ca|boig}} ("mad, {{smallcaps|masculine}}") vs. {{lang|ca|boja}} ("mad, {{smallcaps|feminine}}") vs. {{lang|ca|boges}} ("mad, {{smallcaps|feminine plural}}")
|-
! {{lang|ca|gu}}
| {{IPA|/ɡ/}} before {{lang|ca|e}} and {{lang|ca|i}} <br /> corresponds to {{lang|ca|g}} in other positions || {{lang|ca|botiga}} ("shop") vs. {{lang|ca|botigues}} ("shops")
|-
! {{lang|ca|gü}}
| {{IPA|/ɡw/}} before {{lang|ca|e}} and {{lang|ca|i}} <br /> corresponds to {{lang|ca|gu}} in other positions || {{lang|ca|llengua}} ("language") vs. {{lang|ca|llengües}} ("languages")
|-
! {{lang|ca|qu}}
| {{IPA|/k/}} before {{lang|ca|e}} and {{lang|ca|i}} <br /> corresponds to {{lang|ca|c}} in other positions || {{lang|ca|vaca}} ("cow") vs. {{lang|ca|vaques}} ("cows")
|-
! {{lang|ca|qü}}
| {{IPA|/kw/}} before {{lang|ca|e}} and {{lang|ca|i}} <br /> corresponds to {{lang|ca|qu}} in other positions || {{lang|ca|obliqua}} ("oblique, {{smallcaps|feminine}}") vs. {{lang|ca|obliqües}} ("oblique, {{smallcaps|feminine plural}}")
|-
! {{lang|ca|x}}
| {{IPA|/ʃ/}} (also {{IPA|[tʃ]}} dialectally) initially and in onsets after a consonant; {{IPA|[ʃ]}} after {{lang|ca|i}} <br /> {{IPA|/ks/}} between vowels and syllable final (except after {{lang|ca|i}} in most cases) <br /> {{IPA|/ɡz/}} between vowels and syllable final before voiced consonants || {{lang|ca|xinxa}} ("bedbug"), {{lang|ca|guix}} ("chalk") <br /> {{lang|ca|taxi}} ("taxi"), {{lang|ca|fixar}} ("to fix"), {{lang|ca|extra}} ("extra") <br /> {{lang|ca|exacte}} ("exact"), {{lang|ca|exdirector}} ("ex-director")
|}